Memories of the Heart
by mintyroses
Summary: Numbuh 4 is undoubtedly clueless when it comes to love. The person who comes to his rescue is a certain African-American girl and soon, they find themselves falling. However, Numbuh 4 and 5's newfound feelings for each other are tested when Numbuh 5 loses her memory. Hidden doubts, jealousy and problems surface, threatening to ruin everything.
1. heartbreak

**_A/N:_** _I've always loved Codename: KND and the couple 4/5 as a child, but seeing as that would never happen I thought I'd find some fanfics about them here…but then I find out that there's barely any! I've only read 2 but they're both discontinued and forgotten._

 _Plus, I honestly feel like the 3/4 couple is overrated. In the show it's implied that they become married in the future so why bother making more fanfics about them? Hence why I decided to write this! I wanted to read something other than 3/4 cos 4/5 is by far the cutest and the best so I decided to add a little something of my own to the KND fanfiction world._

 _Oh, and this fan fiction is gonna be pretty 'angsty' and kinda slow too, I reckon, so if you're not interested in that sort of stuff AND if you're not particularly fond of this pairing then please do not read!_

 _If you're here to be rude then your presence is not needed here xD_

 ** _Disclaimer:_** _Unfortunately, I don't own anything! It all belongs to the awesome Mr Warburton!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1: Operation H.E.A.R.T.B.R.E.A.K**_

"Can't _believe_ that just happened," Wallabee 'Wally' Beatles, muttered angrily to himself as he moped in his boxing ring room. His fists clenched against his knees as he stared at the ground, his straight, sunny blond hair flopping in front of his eyes.

He had mustered up the courage to _finally_ admit his love for Kuki Sanban, the only girl he ever liked. He was hopeful but just as he had approached the girl in the oversized green sweater, he witnessed her giggling next to Nigel Uno in front of the TV.

Originally as he stormed back into his room, he did try to convince himself that they were just being friendly...but it didn't seem like it either. She seemed so happy and Numbuh 1 was actually smiling. He frowned, deeply thinking back to it.

 _Does he like Numbuh 3 too?_ The thought caused his fists to clench further and his jaw to tighten. _Of course, he cruddy did!_ He had to have, otherwise why were they both smiling at each other like lousy dorks?!

He breathed a heavy sigh and ran both hands down his face, digging the heel of his palms against his eyes. Honestly, he just wanted to get rid of the pain in his chest; he wasn't used to this, that was for sure.

"Numbuh 4? Boy, you in there?" Abigail Lincoln's voice floated through the other side of the door. Wally resisted the urge to groan in irritation and instead, decided to remain silent. _Can't a guy get some peace and quiet in this cruddy treehouse?!_

"If you don't open this door any second, Numbuh 5's gonna kick it down!"

He snorted, running a hand through his hair. _Pfft, she wouldn't d-_

He shouldn't have doubted her for a second because, in the next second, the door flung open with a loud bang, causing him to jump five feet into the air.

"What the-!?" His eyes wide, he stared at Abby, her dark eyes narrowed and her slender arms on her hips. The surprise within him soon faded and anger took over. His eyebrows furrowed and he glared at the girl in front of him. "What do ya think you're doin'?!" he exclaimed, his heavy Australian accent filling the silent room.

"I'm tryna talk to you, that's what I'm doin'," Abby said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Wally scowled and turned away. "Just leave me alone, alroight?"

"Nah uh, that ain't happening, boy. You've been mopin' for a solid two days now and Numbuh 5 wanna know what's happenin'." She plopped next to him and he let out an irritated sigh.

"Nothin's wrong, Numbuh 5," he spat. "Now let me mope in peace, will ya?"

"What did I just say, boy? I ain't leaving 'till you spill," she said, ignoring his outburst as if nothing had happened. Upon inspecting Wally's dejected face, Abby's eyebrows furrowed, her dark eyes filled with worry. Things had been going fine with Sector V for a while, up until two days ago. She hadn't witnessed what had happened or who had bothered Numbuh 4 but someone clearly had and she wanted to get to the bottom of it.

The team wasn't the same when a member was less than 100%. Plus, Wally was a good friend of hers and she felt it her duty as a friend to comfort him.

The blonde didn't share the same notion as the dark-skinned girl beside him. He wanted her to leave him alone, give him some privacy so he could punch things and then sleep the whole day.

Wally sulked. But then again, telling her was probably the best way to get her off his back.

He raised his arms in the air in exasperation before letting them flop back down. "Alroight, fine! I'll tell ya," he grumbled, distastefully, turning his head away. Abby sat next to him, patiently waiting.

"Kooks-" he clenched his jaw before correcting himself, " _Numbuh 3_ likes Numbuh 1," he muttered to himself, his eyebrows furrowed - although it went unnoticed as his scraggly blonde hair were in the way - and a frown on his face. From the corner of his eyes, he could tell that Abby didn't hear him well as she leaned closer.

"What? Boy, you better speak up or I swear-"

Wally tilted his head back in agitation before running his hands up and down his face furiously. "I _said_ Numbuh 3 likes Numbuh 1, alroight?! Now leave me alone," he grumbled. He flopped back onto his bed and reached up, his arms covering his eyes. Abby, on the other hand, couldn't help but feel sorry for her short friend. Sure, he was a bit brash but he could be a sweetheart...at times.

She, along with Hoagie, who was Numbuh 2, teased him all the time due to the crush he harboured. She had always figured Numbuh 3 liked him back too since they made it so obvious.

But, maybe things weren't as simple as they had thought.

"Are ya sure Numbuh 3 likes Numbuh 1?" she asked, slowly. When the blonde boy didn't answer, Numbuh 5 sighed in irritation and yanked on his orange sleeve. "Numbuh 4, are ya even listenin' to me?"

"Nah," his voice came out muffled from beneath his arm. She clicked her tongue and reached out, grabbing him by the collar and dragging him up to a sitting position.

"Agh!" a high-pitched shriek left him, "what're ya do-?!" His fury laced words were cut off by Numbuh 5's dark gaze, piercing into his forest green eyes. Wally frowned deeply, the pain in his chest intensifying.

"Numbuh 5 can tell you're hurt, you ain't foolin' nobody."

"I'm not hurt!" he said, his tone defensive. The look that she gave him, however, caused his shoulders to deflate. _Oh, who am I kidding?_ He knew he couldn't fool anyone, let alone Abby. "Alroight, fine. I'm not okay. I'm...far from okay."

Slowly, her fingers loosened and the grip on his collar left completely. He sunk back into his position on the bed. "But I know she likes Numbuh 1, I'm sure of it! I saw 'em cuddlin' up to each other and smiling all giddily and all that junk."

Abby, seeing Wally shake with anger ruffled his bowl-cut to try and calm him down. She didn't want to rile him up further, but it seemed as though he would burst no matter what she said or did at this point.

"Get a hold of yo'self, Numbuh 4. It don't sound like something Numbuh 1 or Numbuh 3 would do. Maybe it's ya imagination playin' up."

"It's not," he snapped, glaring at her. _Numbuh 5 just doesn't get it!_ "I know what I saw!"

He was 100% sure of what he saw. Numbuh 1 was _smiling_ for crud's sake and for Numbuh 5 to believe otherwise was irritating him to no end.

"Kuki doesn't like me back." He laughed humourlessly to himself. "Who was I kiddin'? She would never like someone like me." And in a moment of pure agony, he laid back down on his bed again and let out a bunch of garbled nonsense. "UGHHGAGUDG, I hate this cruddy life!"

Abby's face was skewed with concern for her squirming friend. She couldn't stand him in such turmoil. She bit her lip, tapping her chin; there had to be something she could do to help. If he had indeed seen Numbuh 1 and Numbuh 3 cuddling then going up to her and demanding her to explain what he had witnessed was definitely not the best idea.

The only thing that she could think of, for now, was to get his mind off things. It would be hard, but it seemed to be the best medicine. Especially since today was one of their many days off and there was no mission.

Abby stood up and turned around, her long black plait swinging around with her. "Let's go, Numbuh 4."

He remained still; he just wanted her out of his room. When he didn't respond, Abby's face fell and she stared at the Australian boy's unmoving body in irritation.

So she tried again.

"Let's go! Will ya hurry it up?"

"No," he replied with childish stubbornness.

"Boy, get your butt outta that bed!"

He sat up and scowled. "Leave me alone, for crud's sake! Can't a kid get some privacy 'round 'ere?" he exclaimed, his voice bouncing off the walls of the treehouse.

"No," Abby dead-panned, her arms now crossed causing the bangles on her wrists to clink around. He was already irritated about everything, and that noise just made it worse. "We're gonna be havin' some fun today. You can wallow and mope around some other time, but not while Numbuh 5's around."

Wally groaned as she grabbed his arm and dragged him to wherever - at this point, he didn't even care anymore. He just knew he didn't want to do anything. On the other hand, Abby strode off, set on getting him to forget and have fun even for just a little while.

"You've gotta be kiddin' me." Wally stared blankly at Abby who rolled her eyes and plopped down on the red sofa. "A movie?" His lips turned into a frown as he slowly inched towards her.

"What's wrong with a good ol' movie, huh?" she taunted, raising an eyebrow at Wally who sat down a few inches away from her. She wasn't as annoyed as she displayed herself to be - after what he thought he witnessed, she couldn't really blame him for being his usual jumpy self.

"Nothin's wrong with it, just, oh I dunno," he pretended to think before bursting out, "I ain't really in the mood for a cruddy movie!"

"Look, Numbuh 4, we're gonna watch a movie whether ya like it or not. So shut your trap and enjoy it."

He scowled at her, but she ignored him, grabbing the remote and turning the TV on. After crossing his arms stubbornly, he began to bang his head on the headrest multiple times, cursing himself for letting himself be dragged here as Abby switched between channels. He knew she wasn't like Kuki but still.

 _I swear if it's that ridiculous, lousy piece of cruddy junk called 'Rainbow Monkeys', I'm hones-_

When she stopped at a certain channel, Wally shot up.

"Wait wait, you're alroight with watching this?" He stared at Abby wide-eyed who shrugged. Considering it was to cheer him up, she wanted to let him watch whatever he wanted. Whatever made him happy.

"Wrestlin's not so bad, I guess," she said, with a soft smile. Wally blinked. He narrowed his eyes at her a few seconds later, suspicious. He wasn't sure why she was being so nice. Well, he supposed she was always nice, but going this far as to let him watch a wrestling show?! That was a rare occasion!

He then shrugged. "Noice! I ain't gonna question your choice so," he snatched the remote from her, "I'll take that, thank ya very much."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, a smile slipping in amusement. Everyone in Sector V knew that Wally was particularly...obsessed with the TV remote and had to have it in his hands. Even pressing the button on the TV to change the channel was almost like a curse to him.

After a few minutes of watching wrestling on TV, Wally was restless. His mind wouldn't stop wandering over to a certain bubbly, Rainbow Monkey loving girl and it drove him insane. Abby could see that TV wasn't doing anything to help him as he slid his way down the sofa, only half his body being supported. His head was propped up with his hand as his elbow rested on the armrest.

The deep frown on his face was an indication of his utter boredom. At least, it was for Abby.

"Hey, Numbuh 4."

No response.

"Numbuh 4," she said, a little louder. When he didn't respond, she yelled, "Oi, sparkle-butt!"

He grimaced. "What do ya want?" he drawled, annoyed at the nickname she used. He spared a glance at the girl next to him who was giving him a pointed look.

"I know you ain't interested in the show, so stop pretending, genius," she snapped. Wally groaned and slid all the way down the couch, ending up on the floor. It was practically impossible to fool her and it annoyed him that nothing could get past her.

Abby plopped to the floor beside him, knowing why he was feeling so down even after watching something he was usually interested in.

"Numbuh 5's never seen you so upset - not even when Numbuh 3 got kidnapped at the beach by knights that one time!" she exclaimed.

He sighed. He had never _felt_ so upset, either. He didn't think there was anything anyone could do. Except for Kuki. She'd probably be the only one to cheer him up - of course, he'd never admit that because they'd tease him and because...

"AGGH!" he yelled in frustration. "I can't stop thinkin' 'bout 'er!" If this wasn't such a serious moment, Abby would have laughed at the sulky face he had on; it was so like him to act this way, though, she did expect him to be angrier.

"Well, that's what love does to ya, baby." She shrugged casually, a tiny smirk playing on her lips.

Wally glared at her, his teeth grinding. "I'm not-" he cut himself off all of a sudden, a long pause between them. He liked Kuki - a lot, but...was it love?

 _What is this love schmuv thing anyway?_

"This is dumb," he suddenly retorted, scoffing when he couldn't find an answer.

"What is, boy?"

"These..." he gritted his teeth, feeling disgusted with himself, "...feelings." His insides, however, were reacting in the opposite way; he tried to get rid of the ache in his chest by shaking his head furiously, his blonde hair flopping everywhere. "I just wanna punch somethin'."

"Nah uh!" Abby was alert now, her eyes wide. Knowing him, she didn't want to leave him alone and risk having him destroy the treehouse! "You ain't doin nothin' of the sort!"

Then, out of nowhere, an idea formed in her head. Obviously, Wally was most likely assuming that Numbuh 3 was interested in Numbuh 1. Maybe if he talked to her and cleared things up...things might be fine. After all, he hadn't asked for an explanation and only jumped to conclusions. She spared a glance at the distraught, but also furious Wally sitting next to her and she sighed.

She had to at least try and do something to help.

* * *

 _A/N:_ Hey guysssss, hopefully, that was okay. I'm a horrible writer and the POV's might be off and all but *sigh* I'll definitely edit sometime in the future when I'm done. It's just the beginning so it's also a little slow but things will slowly pick up! And yes its a 4/5 fic, I know it doesn't seem like it now but FEAR NOT, things shall be happening, I just don't want to rush into things! XDD


	2. idea

A/N: So far, I've been writing consistently but I'm not sure if this is any good tbh. BUT, I'm still gonna write anyway cos I love this pairing and I feel like it deserves more love too.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 2: Operation I.D.E.A**_

"You woke me up for this?" Wally grumbled as he rubbed his eyes, his hair sticking up wildly in different places. Abby stared at him blankly. "I could 'ave been sleeping i-"

"Stop your complainin' and get over here!" She was doing this to make him smile and to stop him from moping around but it was proving to be a difficult task.

Wally set his lips into a thin, angry line as he walked up to the dark-skinned girl who wasn't even paying attention. They were only in their pyjamas and she didn't even give him the chance to change! Abby was leaning against the wall, peeking out at something - or someone, but he couldn't be bothered enough to be curious.

It clearly wasn't like he had a choice because before he could comprehend anything, Abby grabbed his arm and yanked him towards where she was. He shot a sharp glare in her direction but she ignored it.

"Look, Numbuh 5 knows just the thing to fix things between you and Numbuh 3."

His eyes widened and he snapped his head left to look at Abby. She looked hesitant but there was an encouraging smile playing on her lips. There was only so much they could do; she wanted this to work so Wally would be the same again and he hoped the same. He wanted things to be back to normal...he wanted to be able to pair up with Numbuh 3 on certain missions and to be able to talk to her as usual.

He shook his head furiously as Abby whispered the plan into his ear. A disbelieving scoff left his lips and she crossed her arms, watching him with a frown.

"I'm tellin' ya, this ain't gonna work," Wally grumbled, shoving his hands furiously into his pyjama pockets. Abby rolled her eyes before slapping the back of his head with her red cap causing his head to drop forward. He swung around, rubbing the back of his head as he glared at the girl responsible.

"What the heck was that for?!" his heavy Australian accent seeping through even more due to his anger.

"You know what it was for, Einstein," she said, sarcastically. Wally scowled at her but his anger went unnoticed as she wasn't even looking at him. He was getting irritated as every time he tried to show her that he was angry, she never paid attention.

It reminded him of the many times he'd be interrupted whenever he would try and tell Kuki how he felt. Just thinking about her again, caused the odd pain in his chest to start up again.

Wally shook his head to get rid of the icky thoughts and his eyes trailed Abby's line of sight instead. It didn't make things better because she was focused on Kuki. With an irritated release of a breath, he mumbled, "Do I have ta do this?" He turned to look at Abby. "C-can't I do this later or somethin'? Heh...heh," he let out a nervous laugh as Numbuh 5 shot him an unamused look.

"It's now or never, baby," Abby stated, determination burning within her eyes. Wally was almost afraid at the look in her eyes and his face scrunched up in disgust at how excited she was about this. He just wanted to run away at the very least. He turned back around and his emerald eyes trailed over to the oriental beauty who was humming a cheerful tone to herself as she slathered some maple syrup on her pancakes.

Wally sighed. He didn't want to spend the rest of his life avoiding her - even though that was the original plan.

With a deep breath, he puffed out his chest and pulled up the sleeves of his pyjamas. "Alroight, I'm gonna get this lousy confession over and done with."

Before he walked off, Abby pulled him back by tugging the back of his clothes. "You gotta mean it, Numbuh 4! Do you want her to be with you or not, boy?" she scolded, glaring at a certain golden-haired fighter. Wally looked at her; a part of him knew she was right - he didn't want to risk losing her. This was his only chance, but another part of him wasn't ready to confess again.

Would she say she didn't like him back? What if she actually fancies Numbuh 1?!

Wally clenched his jaw; he wasn't gonna let some cruddy fear stop him! He nodded once in thanks to Abigail and then turned, stalking towards Kuki. As he stood next to her, she spun around, her dark eyes bright and sparkling as always and his breath caught in his throat. He cursed himself for freezing like a statue as Kuki blinked at him.

"Hi, Wally!" she said joyfully in that childish voice of hers. He cleared his throat.

"Uh, hey Kooks...I, uh, I-I wanted to...I, uh, wanted to tell ya somethin'." He rubbed the back of his neck as he felt his cheeks flush. Kuki tilted her head and peered into his eyes, hers filled with anticipation.

"You do?" She gasped loudly and exaggeratedly, "Have you finally started to like Rainbow Monkeys?!"

"Wha-no!" he exclaimed in horror. Just the thought of it made him wanna vomit and he resisted the urge to facepalm. He couldn't believe the lousy Rainbow Monkey junk made its way into their conversation. He shuddered before spitting out distastefully, "It's nothin' to do with those cruddy bears!"

She giggled, a smile still on her face. "You're just saying that! You'll start to love it like I do, soon. Just you watch!"

Wally clenched his jaw. He wanted to tell her before he chickened out but Kuki's random conversations - that he secretly loved - was standing in the way of that.

"Kuki!" he said, suddenly cutting her off. She stopped rambling and looked at him innocently. As soon as her eyes were on him, he froze, yet again. Coward, he spat to himself. He wanted to prove to himself, and to Abby, that he could go through something if he set his mind to it. Plus, he wanted to get this confession off his chest now.

"Say, um, I-I've, uh, got somethin' else to tell ya," he stuttered, reaching up to rub his neck sheepishly as he felt his whole face flush once again. His heart pounded against his ribcage and he swallowed, trying to get rid of the awful feeling. Kuki now looked confused, her mouth wide open.

"Okaaaaay?" she dragged before excitedly saying, "just tell me, Wally! Tell me, tell me!"

"I'm tryin' for crud's sake, just shut up for a second!" he yelled, frustrated, mostly with himself. The anger that burst out of him was both at the fact that he couldn't confess and because she wasn't giving him time to think and say the lousy words. As soon as he looked up, he caught sight of Kuki's crestfallen and crushed face. His expression immediately changed from irritated and annoyed to a guilt-stricken one as he watched tears well up in her eyes.

He wanted to confess but here he was, making the girl he liked, cry. He fumbled with his hands as he awkwardly stood next to her, and then just like that, her head fell back and loud, echoing sobs erupted out of her mouth.

"N-no, don't cry Num-Kuki! I know I'm a jerk, alroight? I'm sorry, I didn't mean it!" he said with a panic, trying to make his voice as soft as possible. He couldn't stand seeing her cry. Wally knew that from behind him, Abby would be shaking her head in disappointment but he really didn't want to think about her or anything at this point.

Kuki sniffled and lifted her head up, wiping her eyes. Her big, doe eyes looked straight into Wally's remorseful ones. "Do you mean it?"

Wally had never nodded his head so fast in his life, his eyes wide with hope. "I do, I do!"

A few seconds passed before a small smile grew on her face. "Okay," she said, giggling a little at his desperate face.

Wally let out a sigh, looking as though the weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He then turned his head to spot Abby who was watching them, her face serious. He turned his head a little to ask for help as his hands were sweating like no tomorrow and his heart was ready to jump outta his chest.

He nearly screwed everything up, and he didn't want to do that again.

Abby, even from where she was standing, could see that the boy was having trouble confessing. He was the best in combat and sport, but when it came to girls...well...Kuki to be specific, he was as lost and confused as a puppy.

She tried to encourage him to continue by waving her hand frantically in a 'go-ahead!' motion. Wally turned his head back around and came face to face with Kuki again.

"I-I..uh, ahem," he cleared his throat awkwardly and sent her a crooked, bashful smile, "I l-"

"Numbuh 3, I need to have a quick chat with you." Nigel walked into the kitchen but froze as Wally snapped his head to stare wide-eyed at a certain bald boy. Nigel ignored the blonde boy and turned to Kuki, instead, fueling his anger.

Nigel pinched the bridge of his nose as Kuki's face changed into a confused one. "You forgot, didn't you?"

Her face suddenly lit up, her eyes widening. "Oh yeah, that! Of course, I haven't forgotten about it, silly! What am I, an airhead or something?" she scoffed incredulously with a giggle. Before running off to Nigel, she spared a glance at the fury-filled Australian boy, "Bye Wally, tell me the thing you wanted to tell me later!"

The whole conversation caused Wally to narrow his eyes. Teach her what? Wally scoffed, and turned around, storming off in the direction of Abby.

"Told ya this wasn't gonna work," he mumbled, a deep frown on his face as he walked past Abby whose eyes expressed worry. She sighed as her eyes were trained on Wally's back as he strode in the direction of his room. Her head then turned and she looked in the direction Kuki and Nigel went. Surely there was nothing going on.

Slowly she pushed herself away from the wall and walked over to Wally's door that was shut. "Numbuh 4, open up," she said, this time more softly.

There was no response from the other side and she figured he was moping. "I'm comin' in!"

Wally's head shot up as soon as Abby walked in through the door - without permission yet again - and glared at her. His frown hadn't left his face and seeing her caused his shoulders to hunch. Her stupid plan didn't cruddy work, so the last thing he wanted was her suggesting other ways.

"You do know that Numbuh 1 and Numbuh 3 aren't flirtin' right?"

He scoffed. "You saw what happened back there, didn't ya?"

Abby rolled her eyes. He was so dramatic sometimes. "That ain't flirtin'. He was probably just gettin' her to do somethin' for a mission, you know?"

Wally looked at her as if she was out of her mind, knowing she most likely wouldn't see the frustration in his eyes considering his vision was covered by his blonde locks. "Numbuh 1 asked Numbuh 3 to help him with somethin' for a mission?" he said incredulously. "Uh, do ya not see somethin' wrong with that?! He asked Kuki of all people!" he exclaimed.

Abby crossed her arms this time. She really didn't want to think about Nigel or Kuki together - it seemed unlike them. Besides, their interaction didn't look suspicious to her at all. Wally wasn't the smartest...or the brightest when it came to much, clearly.

"Numbuh 4, trust me, there ain't nothin' goin' between them! Come on, we'll try to fi-" she was cut off by the humourless laugh that left Wally's lips. He shook his head, a spiteful grin on his face.

"Nah, don't bother," he said. "Just leave 'em to do whatever they wanna."

Before she could say anything, Wally laid back down on his bed and settled comfortably. He turned away from her though, not allowing her to see just how heartbroken he was. He did, in fact, want the plan to work - but it had failed so who was to say that the next plan would work?

"Now let me sleep, alroight?" he mumbled, grumpier than ever. Abby obeyed his wishes just this once; she felt bad for dragging him into a plan that backfired. She wanted him to be happy though, hence why she didn't want to give up.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Wally and Kuki were talking.

Kind of.

It was awkward, to say the least. They talked during missions but because they had to - that was their job. Wally sat on the couch, his feet up on the other half as he watched TV. But his attention wasn't on the screen but on a specific girl. Usually, he didn't stare at her like this, but not speaking to her at all was getting a little annoying. Kuki was playing with one of her lousy Rainbow Monkey - he scowled at the dumb teddy bear but decided to ignore it and focus solely on Kuki instead - and smiling to herself.

Her smile made him want to grin himself; though he would never admit it, he found her kinda cute. Before a grin could form, he shook his head and turned back around to the TV. He told himself to not let his emotions get the better of him and to ignore everything.

Yeah, he and her talked - but only when needed. Wally knew ignoring her and hurting her in the process wasn't the best plan, but he needed time. Jumping to conclusions wasn't the smartest, but then again, he wasn't the smartest cookie anyway.

Now grumpy about everything, he puffed up his cheeks before blowing out a heavy sigh, his hand resting on his cheek now. Just when he was getting bored, Kuki bounded over and picked the remote from his hands casually, changing it to the ugly and annoying Rainbow Monkey show. His mouth dropped open and he stared at her incredulously.

"Hey! I was watchin' that," he yelled, defensively. Kuki smiled and poked her tongue out at him.

"Well, not anymore! I'm watching TV now, silly billy."

"Cos you stole the cruddy remote from me!" Wally leant over quickly and snatched the remote back, causing her to gasp.

"Give that back, Wally!" she exclaimed, leaping onto him and clutching the remote. He held it tightly in his hands, gritting his teeth together so he wouldn't lose it and end up having to watch the singing, candy-coloured creeps!

"No! There is no cruddy way I'm gonna sit 'ere and watch those furry-faced weirdos singin' and dancin'!"

"They're not weirdos, Wally!" Kuki whined, finally grabbing hold of the remote. She moved to the other side of the couch and Wally scowled. He tried to yank it out of her hand but the pouty face she was making didn't do anything to help. So, he sighed in frustration and leaned back, sinking into his seat, frowning deeply.

"Fine, watch whateva you want," he mumbled under his breath as he crossed his arms. Kuki wasn't paying attention anymore as she giggled and jumped into place next to him, swaying to the theme song of the Rainbow Monkey show.

Stupid Rainbow-Stupid-Monkey's, he thought grumpily.

After a few minutes of being scarred, Kuki turned in her seat. "Wally?" she began, softly. He was staring at the TV blankly as if he was being forced to watch a documentary. "Wally!"

Kuki's voice startled him and he jumped. "Huh-what?!" he yelled, suddenly alert in case they were being attacked.

"I just wanted to ask you something..."

Wally's eyebrows furrowed, now curious. "What is it, Kuki?"

She twiddled her thumbs, a small frown on her delicate face. "Just...why have you been ignoring me lately, Wally? Did I do something wrong?" she looked up, her eyes wide with sorrow.

The look made him shudder in guilt. He hadn't meant to make her sad like this. He just didn't want to get hurt, seeing her and Nigel together.

"What? No, Kuki, you didn't done anythin'. It's just-" He cut himself off, looking away and playing with his hands, unsure of how to explain to her.

"Just what?" she interrupted, her eyebrows furrowing. When he said nothing in response, Kuki frowned at him. "You're such a...a...a big meanie- head, you know that?! You never tell me anything and now you're ignoring me without telling me what I did wrong."

"Cos there's nothin' to tell!"

"I just want you to go back to the old Wally!

"I haven't changed, Kuki! I have no idea what you're talkin' 'bout," he said, breathing out in irritation, getting angrier and angrier by the minute.

"This is why I like Numbuh 1 better than you!" she yelled. It was as if time stood still when those words came out of her mouth. It immediately crushed him. It was like his heart had been stomped on over and over.

Before Wally could say anything back, Kuki ran off and he watched her with his mouth agape. Things had escalated so fast that he couldn't really register what just happened.

All he knew was that he and Kuki had a fight and now, she hated him.

Just cruddy great, he thought bitterly and with that, he threw his head back, groaning in frustration.


	3. jell-o

_Chapter 3: Operation J.E.L.L.O_

"Kids Next Door...BATTLE STATIONS!" Numbuh 1 yelled as everyone got ready to attack the lousy piece of slime thing that had crashed into the 72nd level of their treehouse.

Nothing they did seemed to weaken the monster, and it was when the green blob decided to move towards Numbuh 3 that all senses became alert. He couldn't let anything happen to Numbuh 3!

"Kuki!" Numbuh 4 yelled, his voice several octaves higher. Numbuh 1 and 2 were busy shooting at the green monster but that did nothing to deter its movements. It was too focused on moving towards Numbuh 3 who was busy helping Numbuh 5 get up onto her feet.

Numbuh 4 growled to himself and watched as the monster moved with urgency towards her. In a moment of sheer panic and fury, he flipped into the air and swung right through its centre, grabbing onto Numbuh 3 and tumbling to the side. Numbuh 5 jumped over to the opposite side as the monster, sliced in half, fell to the ground.

Silence filled the room before Numbuh 1, wide-eyed, walked over to Numbuh 4 and 3, followed by Numbuh 5 and 2.

"Wow, good job team!" he congratulated, hands on his hips with a seemingly satisfied smile on his face.

"Yeah, that was an _awesome_ ninja ki-"

"I could have saved myself!" Numbuh 3 huffed, cutting Numbuh 2 off. She forced a frown on her face. Numbuh 5's eyes narrowed from the now melting slime-jelly thing to Numbuh 3 who was obviously having a hard time staying angry at Numbuh 4.

Numbuh 5 looked between them and watched as Numbuh 3 turned away, crossing her arms. She made a mental note to catch up with Numbuh 4 on what had happened. It had been a week since they had that conversation and she could sense the tension between Numbuh 3 and Numbuh 4 during breakfast, dinner, on day-offs and even missions.

Especially this one.

They weren't talking at all. Earlier in the day, Numbuh 3 even moved away when Numbuh 4 stood next to her, something she never did.

"Numbuh 3, I-" Without letting Numbuh 4 finish, Numbuh 3 walked away. It was rare seeing Numbuh 3 anything other than happy, and to know it was cos of him made things even worse. But he was too angry at her to care about her or the fact that his friends were staring at them with wide eyes.

"Fine then, ignore me, see if I care!" he grumbled, walking in the opposite direction.

Numbuh 1 and 2 looked between them, completely shocked at the situation. As the angry Australian marched away, Numbuh 2 turned to Numbuh 1 and 5, wanting answers.

"Uhhhh...what just happened?" he asked, incredulously.

Numbuh 1 scratched the back of his neck, his shoulders stiff and posture, awkward. "I actually have no idea," he said, his strong British accent seeping through.

Numbuh 5 on the other hand, had a pretty good idea. "Don't worry about a thang, Numbuh 5's gonna get to the bottom of this," she muttered as she went after a certain blonde boy. He was in the kitchen this time, loading his bowl full of cereal - even though he had just eaten breakfast a couple of hours ago.

"How you doin', Numbuh 4?" she asked softly. She didn't want to get him madder than he already was; his fists were clenched just like his jaw, and he had his head slightly bent, eyes completely hidden from view. It wasn't a good sign.

"I'll be fine," he spat through clenched teeth. Of course, he was lying. He was the exact opposite of fine. Numbuh 3 had just shunned him as if he didn't even exist and it _hurt_ like crud. If anything he was the one that should have been mad, not her!

"Numbuh 5 don't think you're fine at all," she stated, bluntly.

He let out an irritated sigh. "Well, I am. Now lemme eat my cereal in peace."

Instead of listening to him, she took a seat opposite to his and watched as he angrily smashed the fruity loops around in his bowl before violently shoving the spoon into his mouth in typical Numbuh 4 manner. Her eyes widened, startled at his behaviour.

"You might wanna slow down there, Numb-"

"Nah, the cereal tastes much bettah this way," he cut her off quickly, shovelling more cereal into his mouth. He was clearly resistant to talk. There was no way he wanted anyone to know about what had happened. The whole thing was silly, but it was becoming a bigger deal as days went on. His feelings for Numbuh 3 were more strained than ever; anytime he mentioned anything to her, he was afraid she'd cry...or worse, a fight like this would break out.

It was nothing new, it happened sometimes, but her words this time hurt more than ever.

He didn't realise he had stopped eating until Numbuh 5 waved a hand in front of his face. Looking up, his eyes met with dark, concerned ones looking straight into his as if she could read him. For some reason, that made him feel awkward and he dragged his eyes away and back down at his bowl.

"Numbuh 5 knows you ain't okay. Wanna spill?"

And so he did. Telling someone - telling Numbuh 5 - felt good. She was a good listener and pitched in at the right times and he could tell she was worried, which he appreciated.

"Maybe you should try and talk things out with her. You know Numbuh 3 and what she's like. She don't mean nothin' she says," Numbuh 5 said, shrugging. It was slightly true; Numbuh 3 had a tendency to dramatise things and she would say anything that came to mind. Sometimes she even forgot what the argument would be about but played it out anyway.

Numbuh 4 snorted. "Numbuh 3 hates my guts. She won't even look at me!" he exclaimed, angrily.

"She doesn't hate ya, don't be silly."

"Nah, nah!" he said, shaking his head. "She cruddy does! She refuses ta even talk to me, that's how bad this is!"

Numbuh 5 sighed and, to comfort him in some way, reached out and placed her hand on top of his. Numbuh 4 looked up yet again, only to lock eyes with Numbuh 5. He could feel his face flush and he managed to shoot her a crooked smile in thanks.

"Is there any way Numbuh 5 can help?"

He sighed but shook his head. "I'll be alroight Numbuh 5, I can deal with this." He knew she was only trying to make him feel better, but, at this point, he didn't think anything could. Not even wrestling or the monster truck rally.

"Anyway, I'm gonna go and torture myself by watchin' stupid Rainbow Dorks on the telly," Numbuh 4 said through gritted teeth, trying to not shudder. He hated the darned things but at least it reminded him of a certain girl.

 **-.-.-.-.-.-**

"Hey, uh, Numbuh 1? Can I talk to ya for a sec?" Numbuh 4 asked, leaning against the door to Numbuh 1's room. He looked like he was working on something important, though.

"Uh, not right now, Numbuh 4. We'll talk later," Numbuh 1 said, dismissing him almost immediately.

" _Course_ it can wait, Numbuh 1," he exclaimed, sarcastically to himself as he turned away. "It can wait till I turn cruddy fifty," Numbuh 4 muttered angrily with a scowl on his face. Despite his words, he walked away anyway since there was no point in standing there like a tool.

As he walked with his hands shoved down his pockets and no real destination in mind, he bumped into Numbuh 3. She had a huge smile on her face and a flutter of hope emerged within him.

"Hey, Wa-!" she cut herself off almost immediately, the smile fading. "Wait, I'm supposed to be mad at you!" she glared at him and a deep frown replaced the bright smile on her face. She _'hmphed'_ and walked away, her chin held high. The flutter of hope within him was crushed and his shoulders hunched. His fists clenched in anger, his nails digging into his palms.

He was getting sick and tired of this childish ignoring game. He just wanted to talk to her and explain everything!

All of a sudden, the treehouse began to ring and flash, indicating that something urgent was happening. He ran over to the briefing room, putting aside the thought of Numbuh 3 for a little while.

As he jumped onto the couch for the debriefing, he watched as Numbuh 3 skipped over. She deliberately sat as far away from him as possible and immediately he could feel his face tensing. Turning his head away, he crossed his arms and slid down the couch a little, grumpy. Numbuh 1 appeared on the wooden stage behind the podium, looking at every one of them.

"Alright, team, we have a problem. It looks like the slime monster we had attacked earlier today was created by those awful Delightful Children. We need to infiltrate them and destroy the ingredients so that we can save the town," Numbuh 1 said, slamming his fist into an open palm.

Numbuh 4 clenched his jaw. "What's with those Delightful Dork's and tryna ruin everybody's lives?" he exclaimed, irritated. "They're gonna get it good this time!"

"Should we split up, Numbuh 1?" Numbuh 2 raised a hand, in question. Numbuh 1 nodded, tapping his chin.

"Good idea, Numbuh 2. We don't know where they've kept these ingredients but splitting up to find them may be the easiest solution." He pointed to Numbuh 4 and then to Numbuh 3. "We don't want them to be making that monster again. Numbuh 4 and 3, you guys head in from the back and destroy all the ingredients whilst Numbuh's 2, 5 and I will attack those Delightful Children from the front."

Numbuh 4's body stiffened. He glanced at Numbuh 3 who didn't move a muscle; her eyes were focused on Numbuh 1 as if she didn't even want to acknowledge what he said.

When everyone else but Numbuh's 4 and 3 nodded, Numbuh 1 eyed them suspiciously. "Numbuh's 4 and 3? Ready to-"

"Is it alroight if I go with Numbuh 5, instead?" Numbuh 4 cut in, a crooked smile on his face. On the inside, however, he was ready to run away from this awkward situation. Everyone's head, especially Numbuh 5's, snapped to him, staring at him with wide-eyed. They had all expected him to be secretly ecstatic to be paired with Numbuh 3.

Numbuh 1's eyes widened in surprise but he said nothing. He cleared his throat, his fist near his mouth and nodded robotically. "U-uh, of course, Numbuh 4?" His eyes then flitted to Numbuh 3 who still hadn't said a word. Her bottom lip was quivering; what with anger, or sadness, no one knew.

"Numbuh 3-?"

"I'll come with you Numbuh 1!" she said, all of a sudden with cheer. Numbuh 4's eyes widened before it came down to a narrow. Her happiness didn't even seem faked! It was legitimate - as if she genuinely didn't care that he had just tried to avoid her at all costs.

Numbuh 1 nodded and looked everyone in the eye. "Alright team, that's settled! Now, Kids Next Door...BATTLE STATIONS!"

Even though Numbuh 1 had given his trademark phrase, everyone but Numbuh 1 and 5 had made a move to get up. Numbuh 5 was still shocked at the turn of events: one minute she was paired with Numbuh 1 and 2, the next, Numbuh 4 was yelled out about how he wanted to partner up with her.

Which was a first.

She raised an eyebrow at him and crossed her arms, letting out a sigh. "What's happened this time, squirt?"

Numbuh 4 sucked in a sharp breath. "Don't call me squirt!"

"Well, then, I guess you better spill, boy."

There was silence between them and each second that ticked by meant that they were costing their team the mission. _What's wrong with me? I'm actin' like such a girly girl! Ugh._

Numbuh 4 didn't want to let down Numbuh 1 or Numbuh 5 because of his cruddy feelings that he couldn't control. Letting out an agitated sigh, he stood up.

"It's nothin', we betta go or Numbuh 1's gonna get mad," he said, his voice weirdly empty. He then took off in the direction of the other members and Numbuh 5 watched as he walked away, his head hung.

 **-.-.-.-.-**

"Numbuh 4, c'mere," Numbuh 5 ushered him over with a wave. Numbuh 4 glanced at her, she was leaning against the dark door that led to the back of the Delightful Children's house. He peeked over the other side to see the others were occupied with fighting them, his eyes lingering on Numbuh 3 a little more than he should have.

Numbuh 4 shook his head furiously. _Agh, what the heck is wrong with me?! Stop thinkin' 'bout 'er so much!_

All of a sudden, he felt a rough tug from behind and in a flash, he was surrounded by darkness. "What was th-!" his angry exclamation was cut short by Numbuh 5 who shushed him.

"Do you want them to know we're in here, boy?!" she whispered, annoyed.

"Uh...no?"

"Exactly, so shush!" she advised, yanking him with her as she stealthily crept over to a place that resembled a kitchen. He was frustrated with her tugging him around like he was a puppet and tried to shrug her off.

"You don't have ta yank me around, Numbuh 5. I ain't a dog, y'know!" he whispered, irritated. Numbuh 5 said nothing but she rolled her eyes, ignoring the whining blondie beside her.

As soon as they entered the kitchen, the both of them looked up at the horde of ingredients around. Numbuh 4's face fell and he raised his arms up in the air.

"How in the crud are we supposed to find those stupid ingredients in _this?!"_ he exclaimed, incredulously.

Numbuh 5 didn't say anything for a few seconds, her eyes wide, but as she looked around, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Get to searchin' Numbuh 4, we've got a monster makin' recipe to destroy."

Numbuh 4, on the other hand, was put off. Not only was he reluctant in going on the mission because of a certain girl that had succeeded in crushing his cruddy heart, he now had to sift through the enemy's kitchen.

 _Great. Just my idea of fun!_ he thought, annoyed as he bent down and chucked open the cabinets and looked inside.

"Look, Numbuh 5, can ya just forget 'bout everythin' tha-"

"We'll talk about that later, Numbuh 4," she quickly cut in, her voice soft. She didn't want to push him in telling her anything, but she needed him to know that she was always there for him. But now wasn't the right time.

Both she and Numbuh 4 shared a knowing look and he nodded, once. Turning away, Numbuh 4 let out a sigh he didn't even know he was holding. _Just forget 'bout it yerself! That'll make everythin' ten times bettah!_

Course it was a cruddy lie since it didn't make him feel any better. He instead decided to focus on the mission - he looked everywhere for the dumb ingredients but he couldn't find them anywhere.

He even looked inside the fridge and the freezer; at one point, he contemplated in climbing in it and staying there till he froze. It seemed like a more fun thing to do than whatever they were supposed to do now.

Glancing at Numbuh 5 for a second, who was determined to find these ingredients, he sighed. A part of him was glad that he wasn't paired up with Numbuh 3 - that would have been nothing but awkward.

"Phew," he muttered to himself. After a couple of minutes of searching, Numbuh 4 was becoming restless. Though going home would mean that he would either be grilled by Numbuh 5 or back to the awkward situation with Numbuh 3. But, obviously, he didn't wanna think about that.

"Ugh, when are we gonna find the cruddy thi-"

Numbuh 5 gasped then, and he jumped, hitting his head on the top of the freezer. "Ah, crud!" he blurted, his face twisted in pain as he rubbed his head. He turned to look at Numbuh 5 who turned also, a box labelled 'SECRET: JELL-O KIDS NEXT DOOR' in her hands.

A smirk adorned her face and her dark eyes glinted under her red cap as she looked up at him. "Found it."

"Alroight, go Numbuh 5!" he cheered, a grin on his face.

"But guess what?" she asked, peering at the writing on the box. "It's not slime, boy. It's Jell-O!"

 _Jell-O?_

"Jell-O?" he exclaimed in surprise. "The crud?" His was face twisted into confusion but he shrugged; those kids were strange and stupid, so he didn't want to question it.

"Well, 'least we found the cruddy thing! Now we got-"

"AGGGH!"

From close by, the sound of the Delightful Children's cries echoed throughout and suddenly the door banged open. Numbuh 4 and 5 jolted and stepped back to see that they were covered in slime and half-conscious, yet their faces still displayed pure anger. Numbuh 4 and 5's eyes widened.

"Give that back to us, or would you rather end up like your friends?!" they yelled in creepy unison. Numbuh 4 glared at him like they were nothing but dirt - which they were.

"Numbuh 4, hold them off 'till I get rid of this thing!" The latter yelled.

Numbuh 4 smirked and turned to face the Delightful Children glaring at him. He cracked his knuckles and chuckled sardonically. "Oh, I can do that! Beating these Delightful Dorks will be a piece a'cake!"

Numbuh 5 ran off behind him and he went to throw a good punch when his hand suddenly went through a gooey substance. His mouth suddenly drooped into a frown. "Gross!" he exclaimed as he yanked his hand back. "Where the _heck_ did this come from!?"

The Jell-O moved towards Numbuh 4 who gulped and backed away. "Stay away from me you disgustin' slime-ball!" he yelled. His eyes suddenly spotted an empty cookie jar and chucked it...but it only got stuck in it. His shoulders deflated and he pressed himself against the cabinets, awaiting his death.

"What are you doin' Numbuh 4?! Boy, it's Jell-O!" Numbuh 5 yelled from behind the Delightful Children. "I've destroyed the box so hurry it up, will ya?!"

Numbuh 4's eyes widened. Hold on a cruddy second...she's right! The Delightful Children looked horrified as Numbuh 5 jumped on them, taking care of them whilst the green slimeball still approached him. He let out battle cry and leapt onto it. His mouth twisted in disgust and he muttered, "I can't believe I'm doin' this," before chomping on it.

 **-.-.-.-.-**

"I was sure it was going to be an utter and complete disaster." Numbuh 1 walked into the main room, dusting off his dirty clothes. "But, I was wrong. Numbuh 4," he spun around, his arms behind his back with a hint of a smile on his face, "you saved our lives!"

"Yeah, Numbuh 4! I thought we were goners for sure," Numbuh 2 cheered a look of relief on his face. Numbuh 3 was grinning widely, but she said nothing to Numbuh 4.

Numbuh 4 scoffed and waved his hand dismissively. "Nah, I did nothin'..." he then clutched his stomach, the reminder of what he did still in his mind "...except for eating that cruddy jelly. Probably shouldn't have done that." Suddenly feeling the urge to vomit, he grabbed his mouth and sprinted off.

Everyone watched with wide eyes and glanced at each other at the sudden event. Numbuh 5 resisted the urge to laugh and found Numbuh 3's eyes on the back of Numbuh 4. The smile faded and she suddenly felt really bad for the situation that the two were in - the remorseful look in Numbuh 3's eyes made it seem as though she felt guilty for not talking to him.

It looked like she really wanted to talk to him.

As the team split up to do their own thing, Numbuh 5, instead of going after Numbuh 4, decided to sit on the lounge chair and do her own thing. If he needed her, he'd come to her, anyway. She took out a magazine and placed her headphones on, putting her feet comfortably up on the armrest. As she enjoyed the music and tapped along with it, screaming caught her attention.

"Woah, what happened you two?" Numbuh 1 came rushing, his eyes wide.

Numbuh 3's face was furious as Numbuh 4 held the head of one of her many stuffed dolls.

"Numbuh 4 tore Mr Huggikins again!"

"Well, I wouldn't 'ave done that this time if it wasn't shoved in my face!"

"It was _not_ shoved in your face! I placed it outside your door as a gift!" Numbuh 3 said, pouting, her eyes burning with anger.

"Uh, guys-" Numbuh 2 tried to butt in but was cut off by a furious Numbuh 4.

"Some gift!" He scoffed with disgust, "Y'know I don't even like these cruddy stuffed dolls so _why_ would I want it?!" Numbuh 4 spat, chucking the doll head on the floor.

"Guys, w-"

"Shut up, Numbuh 2!" Both Numbuh 4 and 3 yelled, snapping their head towards him. Numbuh 2 suddenly raised his hands in the air, eyes wide in alert.

"Alright, alright, I'll shush, geez!" he muttered. "Sue me for trying to help!"

Numbuh 3 ignored him and continued, looking at Numbuh 4, "You usually like what I give you, Numbuh 4...even if you say you don't like it." Her voice suddenly turned meek and she hung her head. Numbuh 4, seeing the look on her face, froze. He was being too harsh - he saw that now, what, with everyone staring at him wide-eyed.

 _Gah, great. Now I feel like nothin' but a big ol' fat bully!_

"Ugggh," he let out a frustrated groan, his lips set into a frown and he turned to Numbuh 1 with his arms raised. "Numbuh 1, will you please talk to 'er?!"

Numbuh 1 sighed and rubbed his forehead. Watching as he tried to talk to Numbuh 3, Numbuh 4 suddenly felt his heart drop in his stomach. Now he regretted doing that. He wanted to comfort her but...he was useless at that kind of stuff.

He went to reach for Numbuh 3 and drag him to his room so that they could talk...but he was afraid she'd tell him to let go and be seen as a bigger fool than he already was. So, instead, he grabbed the nearest person and dragged them to his room instead.

"Woah, what are ya doin', Numbuh 4?!"

Numbuh 5's familiar voice came from behind him as he stormed angrily towards his room. Shutting the door, he plopped down on the boxing ring and stared at the ground. He was beating himself up about being a big twerp to Numbuh 3; he knew he shouldn't have done it, but he still did. Numbuh 5 crossed her arms and looked down at the depressed Australian boy sitting on the ground.

She couldn't help but feel bad for him; after all, he wasn't the best at revealing his feelings when he was nothing but brash. But at the same time, she felt like slapping him across his face with her cap for being so dumb. Instead, she plopped down across from him, watching him, worriedly.

"Numbuh 4, wanna tell Numbuh 5 what's goin' on?"

"No," he replied, grumpily.

"Then why'd ya bring me here, boy?"

"I meant to grab Numbuh 3, but I panicked, alroight? So...here you are," he said, crossing his arms, a frown on his face.

Numbuh 5 shrugged; she didn't want to push him. If he wanted to speak, then he would and there was no need for her to pressure him into doing something. Besides, she knew what he was going through - something very similar had happened to her, yet she had never told anyone. It was something, a painful memory she held dear to her heart, not wanting anyone to know.

Numbuh 4, on the other hand, was struggling with what to do. He wanted to tell Numbuh 5 everything - she already knew most of what was going on, but he didn't want to bother her with his problems.

He was independent, he knew things!...just...he was lost when it came to girls and _girly_ stuff.

"Is there anythin' I can do to make it up to Numbuh 3?" he asked, looking up, his eyes wide and desperate. Numbuh 5 chuckled and shook her head. Sometimes, he could be sillier than silly.

"You can apologise," she offered. He gasped and his eyes bulged out as if she had uttered the dumbest thing ever. Numbuh 4 couldn't believe she thought he could just apologise and things would be fine!

"I can't apologise to 'er, Numbuh 5, are ya crazy!?" he exclaimed.

"No," she dead-panned, staring blankly at him. "Why can't ya apologise? If ya find it that difficult, Numbuh 5 will help."

Numbuh 4 looked away, shaking his head furiously. "I just can't, alroight?" he mumbled.

It wasn't that he didn't want to - he really couldn't. Even though he would never ever admit it, he was afraid Numbuh 3 would refuse to accept his apology after everything he had done. She always tolerated his behaviour but still, there was a tiny part of him that believed she would one day crack.

Numbuh 5 sighed and twiddled with her thumbs. "Ya know, Numbuh 5 been through somethin' similar to ya."

That caught Numbuh 4's attention immediately. He snapped his head up to look at her with wide eyes. "You...you couldn't apologise to someone either?"

Numbuh 5 facepalmed, the sound of her palm meeting her forehead echoing in the silent room. Numbuh 4 looked at her as if he didn't understand.

"What?"

She sighed. "Numbuh 5 _meant_ , she been in a situation where sh...liked someone and found it hard to confess and managed to ruin things."

Numbuh 4's jaw dropped in shock and he gawked at her. _She..she liked someone?_ he thought, incredulous.

"What?" she asked, defensive of the way he was looking at her. "Numbuh 5 can have crushes too."

He shook his blonde head in-denial. "N-no, that wasn't what I was thinkin'! I just...it was surprisin' cos you never speak 'bout things like this, is all."

She shrugged and looked down at her hands. Telling people meant everyone would know about it and it was always one-sided, so she didn't even bother acknowledging her crushes anymore. It was now at the point where crushes meant nothing to her - not that it was a bad thing. It allowed her to truly focus on her missions, and nevertheless, she was happy.

But, a part of her knew that confiding in him would let her move on from the past and hopefully help him somehow, too.

"There ain't no point in telling people about failed crushes."

His eyebrows raised behind his long blonde bangs, his stomach twisting and turning as he waited for her to continue. Numbuh 5 looked so sad that he felt his face automatically twist into despair. "Numbuh 5..." his voice was low with guilt.

"It's nothin', Numbuh 4. Numbuh 5 was over this ages ago."

There was a sad yet comfortable silence between them before Numbuh 5 broke it.

"Numbuh 5's sayin' that you're not alone. Things may not have been good for me but it ain't too late for you if ya apologise. Numbuh 3 is the sweetest person we all know, so there ain't no doubt that she'll forgive ya."

Her words were the only thing keeping him going at the moment. He was truly relieved that Numbuh 5 existed, without her, he'd most likely be a lost ball of sadness and confusion. But...there was a thought lingering in his mind and a pang in his heart as his green eyes locked on Numbuh 5's face. She tried to hide whatever it was she was feeling with a small smile, but he could see right through her. There was a hint of sadness - of despair - and it angered him.

 _Whoever did that to 'er will pay,_ he thought, frustrated. _I mean, if I knew who it was..._

"Uh, Numbuh 5?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you...can you tell me more 'bout it?" he asked, hopeful. He regretted the question instantly when her dark eyes locked with his; they were distraught, but she attempted at a smile anyway.

There was a voice in Numbuh 5's head telling her no, urging her to firmly refuse him, slap in the head or something that would make him forget he asked such a dumb question. However, for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to do either. She wanted to tell him and let it all go.

"Sure, Numbuh 4. Just get ready for a big ol' sap story."


	4. bond

_A/N:_ This might be unedited D: But I hope you enjoy, regardless!

* * *

 _Chapter 4: Operation B.O.N.D_

"He'd known I liked him but...it'd always been one-sided. He was a teenager," At that, Wally shuddered in disgust but didn't interrupt, letting her continue, "but he was nothin' like those teens we'd battled before." Abby looked down. "Numbuh 5 foolishly thought he was different."

Wally could sense that the whole conversation was making her sink back into a pit of darkness and that was the last thing he wanted. "Uh, Numbuh 5, ya don't have to talk 'bout this anymore, it's alroight. I understand everythin'," he said, softly. She refused, shaking her head.

"Numbuh 5's gotta tell ya, or it's gonna be a darn burden forever." Taking a deep breath, she continued. "He was ma best friend; I liked him, but things changed that fateful day when his sister got kidnapped. I did everythang I could to get her back but I couldn't. It was too late." She hung her head, and Wally's eyes widened dramatically.

"Eventually, he found out about ma crush and rejected me in front of everyone. Numbuh 5 was humiliated and never saw him again."

Wally was frozen and stared at the dark-skinned girl in front of him. She looked lost and upset, but not as much as he expected. He was imagining her crawling on the floor and bawling her eyes out…since she was a girl after all. But…it was the exact opposite.

She was calm and collected, and her eyes held the tiniest hint of sadness. If the roles were reversed with Wally and Kuki, it would no doubt be an entirely different story.

He knew he wasn't the smartest or the brightest – Wally was dumb, he knew that, but, it was apparent to anyone that the girl in front of him was the most reliable person he knew, girl or not.

 _Well, that's somethin' I never thought I'd say,_ He thought, internally snorting.

"Oi, Numbuh 5," he said, trying to grab her attention. She looked up at him, calmly but curiously. "You shouldn't worry about that cruddy jerk; he doesn't deserve ya anyway."

Abby surprised him and brought relief too when she let out a roaring, contagious laugh. It caused a series of short chuckles to escape him as well.

"Hmm, yeah. Numbuh 5 thinks you may be right for once, squirt."

"Ye—HEY!" he exclaimed, suddenly offended as her words processed. "Don't call me that!"

"Alright, if that's how ya want it. Numbuh 5'll call ya sport, instead," she said with a teasing smirk. He scowled at her before crossing his arms.

"Shut up! Don't call me that either!" he yelled, annoyed. Though he was a little mad, the smile on her face kind of removed all that anger, and got replaced with curiosity.

Wally watched Abby, who was still laughing, with a tilt of his head, the scowl leaving his face. He had a new-found respect for her. He had been whining and complaining about his dilemmas, but he wondered if she ever had anyone to confide in…

 _Huh. Guess I'm pretty lucky to have a friend like 'er,_ he realised, a small grin forming on his face.

-.-.-.-.-

After their heart-to-heart talk, Abby had been acting weird. She was always the calm Abigail Lincoln, but now, even he was able to figure out that she wasn't exactly as collected as she showed. This was evident in the mission they just had, and Wally couldn't help but glance at her now and then out of worry.

As they slugged out of the rocket that crashed into the 72nd level of their treehouse, Abby ran a hand down her tired face and shuffled away.

"Numbuh 5 gonna get some sleep, good night y'all," she muttered. The rest were just as tired as her, but Wally watched her with groggy eyes. He didn't even notice Kuki coming up behind him until a tap on his shoulder caused him to jump and whip around.

"Kuki?" he asked, surprise. Despite the shock of their first interaction in, what felt like years, he still just wanted to climb in bed and talk to her tomorrow or something.

"I just want to say that you were awesome on the mission," she mumbled, her cheeks flushed red. Wally blinked, confused. She shuffled away as quick as lightning, leaving an annoyed, tired and confused Wally behind.

He didn't understand what she meant, but he supposed it was a compliment. "Uh…thanks?" he replied to the empty room, long after she left. "Well, that was cruddy strange. Did I miss somethin'?"

With a shrug, he walked off to his room, not thinking much of it. . As he walked past Abby's room, however, he froze when he heard sniffling and muffled sobs. His eyes widened, and he was on high alert now.

 _Is...is there someone in there with Numbuh 5?_

Without thinking, he spun, and karate kicked the door down. He rushed in and yelled, "Whoevah you are, you bettah tell me what ya did with Numbuh 5 or I'll—" He froze when he saw Abby looking at him as if he was crazy.

"…Numbuh 5?" he trailed off, nervously. "Um…so, nothin's happened to ya?" he asked, awkwardly, swinging his head around furiously, looking for any intruders.

"No? What do ya think you're doing, Numbuh 4?" Abby asked, irritated that he interrupted her only time to herself. She wanted to cry in peace – it was something she had wanted to do ever since their chat earlier, but never got the chance.

Now that the day was coming to an end, she thought it was the perfect time just to let go of the pain. But of course, Wally had to be the one to find her in this state.

Wally sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, looking extremely uncomfortable. "Uh…well, I was just walkin' past, and I heard some snifflin' and stuff. Soooo….I, uh, thought you were in trouble?" he let out a squeaky laugh seeing the blank look on Abby's face.

It softened after a few seconds, and she let out a sigh. "I ain't in any trouble, Numbuh 4." When she looked up, she had tears in her eyes, and Wally's eyes widened, shocked. His instincts before had been right – she wasn't okay at all.

He walked over to her hesitantly and sat on the edge of her bed, not sure of how to deal with...tears. "Well, uh, whatevah's botherin' you, we can fight it off togetha!" he exclaimed, his voice and eyes burning with determination as he slammed his fist into an open palm.

Abby admired his spunk, but still, it was no use. She shook her head and leaned back in bed. "Numbuh 5's grateful, but ya can't help."

Wally was lost at this point. _What did she mean? Course I could!_

"Whaddya mean I can't help? 'Cause I can help with a lotta things, y'know, like—"

"Wally," she stressed his name. He stared at her with unblinking eyes. He had never heard her say his actual name before, so it was a shock to him. Abby, on the other hand, was glad that by doing that, she had grabbed his attention.

"Ya can't help, okay? Now leave," she said, firmly, her voice hard. Seeing the lost expression on his face, she sighed, her shoulders dropping. "Numbuh 5's just tired, yeah? We can talk about it some other time."

Wally was tired too, but not anymore. Her strange behaviour was causing suspicion to rise within him, and his emerald eyes narrowed at her defeated figure. He didn't seem to look too deep into it and just nodded.

 _Eh, it's probably nothin'. Maybe she found out I stole the last piece of her birthday cake last year?_ He wondered, wide-eyed. _But then again, she doesn't look mad…so maybe not? Eh,_ whatevah _._

With a careless shrug, he turned and went to leave when he froze yet again, as another thought struck him all of a sudden. "Wait a cruddy second!" he exclaimed, causing Abby to watch him, her eyes weary. "What were those noises I heard, then?!"

Abby was getting sick and tired of his constant yapping and so relented instead. She admired the fact that he wasn't giving up – even though he probably didn't fully understand the situation.

"Numbuh 5 was cryin', boy! Ya happy now?"

"Oh." Wally wasn't expecting that answer at all. "Uh, are you still cryin' or…?"

"What does it look like?"

"Looks like you're still cryin'?"

"Exactly." She face-palmed and turned away. "It's just…every time we face Cree, I always miss the good times we had, y'know?"

No. He didn't know. But he nodded his head anyway. He didn't realise Abby was feeling this way.

 _Course you didn't know, ya idiot! She never told ya,_ his mind scolded him. Shaking his head, he sat back on the edge of her bed, staring at the ground as he listened to her talk.

"Numbuh 5 misses everyone. Numbuh 9, Cree, even Heiny. All the people Numbuh 5 loves ends up leavin'," she said, her trembling voice muffled against her pillow. She hated appearing weak, especially in front of her team-mates.

And especially in front of Wally.

Then, just when she thought he had left her too, a surprisingly collected voice spoke up.

"You still have us."

Shock tingled down her spine, and she jerked away from her tear-stained pillow. She turned to face Wally who was already looking at her with a tiny, reassuring smile on his face.

"We ain't goin' anywhere, Numbuh 5. Those people may have left, but we're never leavin' ya. We, uh…well, um, we…l-l-l"

Abby stared at him with furrowed brows, and he let out an irritated sigh, seeing her face.

"Ugh…this is so cruddy girly," he mumbled grumpily to himself. Clearing his throat, he said with a louder voice, "We l-l-lurve ya."

A moment of silence passed between them. Then, an uncontrollable laugh of pleasure left Abby, and she reached out, wrapping her arms around the short, blonde Australian boy. Hugs, vulnerability – these were things that Abby never showed or did.

But this particular night, Wally deserved it for unknowingly being her saviour.

"Thanks, Numbuh 5 appreciates you for once," she said, repressing another surge of giggles.

"For once? What the crud is that supposed to mean?" he exclaimed, surprised more at the fact that she was huggin' him of all people. He didn't know what to do. Was he supposed to hug her back or stand there like a log? Of course, he did the latter.

"Numbuh 5's just jokin'." Silence rang out in the room before Abby broke it. "Thank you for bein' there for me," she whispered against his shoulder, the soft fabric of his orange hoodie rubbing against her lips.

"It's alroight," he replied, awkwardly. "We're friends, so course I'm gonna be here for ya." His arms reached up, and when he went to wrap his arms around her, the door slammed open.

"Can you two keep it down in here?! I am trying to sleep!" Nigel came in, half asleep, a frown on his face.

Wally jumped away from Abby as if she had cooties, and she glanced at him with an eyebrow raised. Her eyes then travelled over to Nigel who was half swaying on his feet, mumbling incoherent things under his breath.

"We sure will, Numbuh 1. Don't worry. Now go on back to sleep, baby."

He mumbled something grumpily and then shuffled away, slamming the door shut. Abby was in a better mood now, a smile on her face and her eyes bright.

She turned to Wally who stood there awkwardly, a boyish grin on his face. "Uh, so I'll leave ya to it, then?"

"Thanks, Numbuh 4."

There was silence between them before he slowly – and awkwardly – walked towards the door. He wanted to say something else but didn't know what. There was a strange atmosphere in the air – he felt like he was getting to know Abby better…and she was different to what he had assumed and thought.

He suddenly whipped around, confusing Abby who was getting ready to lie down. She looked at him with questioning eyes.

"Uh…you can call me Wally, ya know?"

This was a shock to her. They didn't usually call the others by their names…except for Wally and Kuki – they were the only ones that called each other by their given names. But that was because everyone knew they liked each other.

"You want Numbuh 5 to call you Wally?" she asked, an eyebrow raised.

He let out a forced smile, awkward all of a sudden. "Yes?"

"Alright, then. Numbuh 5'll call you Wally if you call Numbuh 5 Abby, deal?"

Now it was his turn to be shocked. Wally gulped exaggeratedly. Everything felt like it was going in fast motion and he honestly couldn't keep up. He shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged, nodding his head.

"Uh, sure…Abby?" he tested it out, his voice coming out as a question rather than a statement. Abby laughed, and he held back a gulp. This was more than cruddy weird to him…but strangely; he didn't mind.

He was giddy about it.

"You better go to sleep, Wally." She beamed at him, causing a genuine smile to frame his face in return. Surprisingly, Abby made him want to smile. And at 2 in the morning, too!

"Alroight!" he cheered with a bright grin. He turned to leave when he spun around again, this time with an idea. His mind wandered back to the conversation just minutes ago.

"Abby?"

"You still here?" Abby's amused voice filled the air. Wally let out a sheepish chuckle but shook it off.

"Eh, just consider yerself lucky, Abby, cos I wanna take ya somewhere tomorrow." She raised a curious eyebrow at him, only for him to respond with a small smirk. "Get ready at around 8 AM or somethin' - I don't know about the time yet, but I'll come to get ya when I come to get ya!"

"Well, it better not be any earlier than 8 or Numbuh 5 ain't showin' up!"

Wally frowned. "Earlier than 8?! Are ya cruddy kiddin' me? Who in the world wakes up that early?!"

The fact that he looked genuinely surprised made Abby snigger in delight. "A lotta kids wake up earlier than 8, Wally," she said, rolling her eyes but hiding a smile. "You do realise that we wake up before 8 for school, kid?"

"Huh?!"

Abby face-palmed and laughed, her shoulders shaking. Wally's mouth tilted down into a scowl as he watched her enjoy herself at his expense.

"W-Well…course I know that!" He was too tired to think about school to even care though. He scoffed. "No one cares 'bout school, Abby, so shut up, will ya?!"

"Yeah, yeah," she said dismissively. "Now leave, I need to sleep!"

Wally walked out, grumbling under his breath. As he left to his room, his mind kept wandering back to his conversation with Abby. Though Kuki was on his mind, she wasn't as prominent as Abby's presence anymore.

And he didn't know if he liked it or not.


	5. reconciliation

_A/N: Okay, so this is either going really _slowwww _or going too fast but either way, things will be happening soon! It's probably going to be angsty cos I never know how to make my stories un-angsty xD but I dont even know._

 _Disclaimer: I don't know if I'm supposed to keep saying that KND does not belong to me BUT here it is anyway_ _: KND does not belong to me, it belongs to Mr Warburton!_

* * *

 _Chapter 5: Operation R.E.C.O.N.C.I.L.I.A.T.I.O.N_

"You look happy to be up this early, Numbuh 4," said Nigel with an eyebrow raised. He had his eyes narrowed as he watched Wally cover his entire bowl with the cereal he was holding.

"I'm _sooo_ happy," he mumbled grumpily, his voice filled with sleep. "Ugh. I'm just goin' out today. Gotta make someone feel bettah." He yawned.

Wally had woken up feeling extra groggy and annoyed as it was only a little past 8. Though, at the same time, he was giddy. The thought of going out to the roller rink with Abby seemed like a fun thing to do.

He suggested going in the first place because they both had things on their mind and he wanted to make sure today was a day where they could just try and forget.

His hands were sweating, and he was panicking slightly - something that only happened when he was around Kuki, and around villains that were trying to destroy him.

Wally lazily brought his left hand, that was holding the spoon, up when Kuki entered, a skip in each of her steps as she swung her arms back and forth. A huge smile graced her face, and upon seeing her, his hand froze midway to his mouth.

Kuki also froze, and her smile slipped as she stared at Wally who was doing the same. She opened her mouth, looking guilty but then shut it, pouting when nothing but a squeak came out. She hugged her Rainbow Monkey closer to her chest as she stared at the ground.

There was a silence between them - but it wasn't tense or hate-filled. Just filled with unsaid confessions and apologies. Wally rubbed the back of his neck, confused to what he should do. Kuki knew precisely what to do it seemed, she turned and grabbed out her favourite cereal: Rainbow Munchies.

Hoagie casually walked up to the kitchen and yawned, stretching his arms over his head. "Man! I felt like I just slept for two hours," he exclaimed, still sounding sleepy and not noticing the silence that had engulfed all of them.

Nigel, cleared his throat trying to remove the awkwardness. "You only got two hours?"

"I was working on new 2x4 technology! Man, I'm so pumped for this one, you'll see how cool it is soon!" Numbuh 2 raved with a massive smile on his face.

Wally quickly scoffed down his cereal, cursing Abby out due to how long she was taking in coming down. He wanted to leave and go to the roller rink as soon as possible now.

Just as he had thought that Abby sluggishly walked down, rubbing her eyes. "We still goin' to wherever it is you wanna take me, Num-Wally?"

Everyone froze and turned to look at Abby. Shock lit their features at her calling Wally by his given name.

"Course we are! But you took your cruddy time in gettin' down here, Abby," Wally said frowning, his leg shaking up and down due to impatience.

Now everyone's eyes swivelled to Wally. Nigel and Hoagie exchanged a look of utter surprise; something was different. And strange.

"Boy, Numbuh 5 ought to give you a good butt-kickin'," Abby said, her hands on her hips as she glared at Wally who sat, observing her. "You said you would come to get Numbuh 5 when it was time and what time is it now, huh."

"Uh…" he smiled sheepishly, "20 o'clock?"

He regretted saying that as soon as Abby reached out and pinched Wally's ear, resulting in him crying out in pain. "OW, OW, OW, fine I'm sorry, alroight? Just...just lemme go!" To say her pinch was the most painful thing he had ever felt in his life was an understatement.

 _Alroight, never keep Abby waitin' again. Got it,_ he thought, annoyed as she let go and allowed him to rub his ear.

"Numbuh 5 thought you'd be comin' to get her, Wally. You better not do this again," she said threateningly.

Though her words were harsh, the soft, tender smile on her face said otherwise. She was enjoying this, he could see that much, and though he was in pain, he could feel the embarrassed flush that crept up his face as everyone still had their eyes on them.

Nigel cleared his throat and Hoagie stared at Wally, slack-jawed and eyes as wide as saucers. How this new development occurred, none of them knew. Moreover, Kuki didn't seem too happy about it either.

"You're going somewhere?" she asked softly.

Abby smiled at Kuki. "That's the plan, according to Mister Genius over here. You wanna co-"

"Never mind that, let's go, Abby!" Wally rushed towards Abby and yanked at her elbow, not letting her finish her sentence.

"Ow, boy, whaddya think you're doin'!?"

Wally said through gritted teeth, "Let's go!"

Abby rolled her eyes and let him drag her out. "You do realise that I'm still in my pj's? Let me go change!"

"Bu-"

"No buts! You wait here, I'll be back," Abby said, running back into the treehouse. Wally threw his head back and let out a loud, irritated groan. He didn't want to wait here like a buffoon; he was worried about Kuki coming after them or something.

Wally didn't want to face her purely because he didn't know what to say to her.

After a little while of loitering around in front of Nigel's house, Abby came running out. She had a soft smile on her face as she faced Wally. He just stared at her blankly.

"Took you awhile," he said, crossing his arms. "Now it's gonna take forevah just to get to the roller rink!"

Abby raised an eyebrow. "You're takin' Numbuh 5 to a roller rink?"

He froze as if he had shared a secret he wasn't supposed to say. "Uh, surprise?"

Abby rolled her eyes and pushed down the urge to smile. It was sweet of him to plan something like this to make her feel better.

"Thanks for the surprise? But, look, we'll get there in time to roller skate, so calm down, baby."

"I am calm!"

"You ain't calm at all."

"I am!"

"Numbuh 5 don't think so."

Wally flashed a smiling Abby an annoyed glance as they bickered all the way there.

-.-.-.-.-

"W-woah!" Abby chuckled nervously, her feet feeling like they had a mind of their own. She was clutching onto the gates of the roller rink, trying to gain her balance on the roller skates. Wally watched, refraining a roaring laugh by biting on his bottom lip, his cheeks puffy.

Abby didn't even notice that the short blonde boy was enjoying her struggle to even take a step until a squeak of laughter left his lips.

She looked up to see his green eyes shimmering with amusement and put her hands on her hips.

"You brought Numbuh 5 here to laugh?" she inquired, with a frown on her face. Wally shook his head, a grin still on his face. "Then come and help me, you fool!"

He quickly hurried over and grabbed her hands, guiding her towards where everyone else was. He skated smoothly and effortlessly around the rink, and Abby couldn't help but watch him as the speed in which they were going in caused his hair to flutter around a little.

"You wanna learn to spin 'round?" he asked with a smirk and her eyes widened. She couldn't even skate without him guiding her, so the idea in itself was a big no-no.

"Heck no, boy! Do you want me to die?!"

"You ain't gonna die 'cos you got me."

"Well, that's what I'm most afraid of, baby."

"HEY!" he blurted. "I'm tryna help you here, Abby, so ya bettah show me some respect."

Abby snorted. "Respect?!" she burst into loud laughter, very aware of the annoyed look she was getting from the boy beside her. "Okay, okay. Numbuh 5 will respect ya. You're helpin' me skate, after all."

"Helpin' you? I'm doin' all the work, 'ere," he retorted, but with a smile etched on his face which Abby returned.

A few comfortable seconds of skating later, Wally said, "You wanna try skatin' by yourself? I'll teach ya."

Abby panicked on the inside but maintained a chilled expression and nodded her head, her hoop earrings swaying with the movement.

"Alroight!" he cheered with a toothy grin. "Okay, so all ya need to do is bend, squat and then glide."

Abby frowned and stared at him, exasperated. "Man, you are the worst teacher in the world."

"Just do what I say, will ya?!"

She let out a sigh and did what he said, but she felt like she was too low to the ground. "There, I did it. Now what?"

"Oh-wait, you're doin' it wrong," he said, circling behind her. He hesitantly reached out and placed his hands on her waist and gently lifted her up a little. "Ya don't have to squat too much." He could feel his whole face turning beet red, and even Abby felt a little embarrassed at the, surprisingly, gentle touch on her waist.

They were both silent as Wally quickly let go and retreated, rubbing the back of his neck, sheepishly. His hands were tingling from touching her waist and because of it, he couldn't even look her in the eye.

"U-uh, well you got it, ahem…um, alroight, now try pushin' off with your left foot to move and follow that with your roight." Wally tried to pretend nothing happened and gulped as Abby looked down and away.

 _Alroight, that meant nothin'! I was just helpin'...yeah! Just helpin',_ he thought, trying to reassure himself.

Abby cleared her throat; she was never more grateful that she was the way she was at that moment. She could feel the heat travel up to her face, but she was lucky that it didn't show through her skin.

Instead, Abby tried to focus on what Wally had said. Even though her legs were like jelly and shaking a little bit, she decided to move. She could hear Wally's encouragement from behind, and even though she was only moving a small inch, the pride she felt was immense.

"Am I doin' it? Man, Numbuh 5's actually doin' it!"

Wally skated up to her with a goofy, almost conceited look on his face. "See, I ain't a bad teacher after all, eh?" he said, crossing his arms with a grin. Abby chuckled and shook her head.

"Now don't get ahead of yourself, Wally," she said, his name rolling off her tongue smoothly, "you're as bad a teacher as Ms Thompson."

"Ms Thompson?" he exclaimed, scoffing, dragging his eyes away. "CRUD, NO! Well, actually, she ain't that bad,"

Abby raised an eyebrow. "That's only cos you have a _crush_ on her," she said with a teasing smile and Wally's cheeks instantly flushed red.

"I-I do not!" he retorted. "I don't like 'er after that time she called my homework lousy when I was actually tryin!"

"Sure you don't, baby."

"Well, whatevah! Just listen to what I'm tellin' ya about roller skatin' and you'll do fine!"

"You actually have to teach Numbuh 5 somethin' first," she countered.

"ARRRGGHHH," Wally yelled in frustration, causing Abby to laugh to herself.

-.-.-.-

They were now sitting on the benches outside the gate, watching the others skate. Wally shot a glance at Abby who sat there, peacefully, a small smile on her lips. The smile caused an indescribable feeling to swell in his chest.

He placed a hand over his chest and frowned. _Why am I feelin' like that?_ He wondered, suddenly weirded out. When the feeling vanished, he let out a sigh of relief and looked at Abby again, opening his mouth to say something when the feeling came back causing him to panic.

Wally shuffled away and sat at the end of the bench, clutching at his chest. He had known Abby for a while, and something like that never happened. Abby raised an eyebrow, watching him fumble around strangely.

"Uh, Wally? You okay, boy?"

"Y-yup! Just fine, ya know. Just, uh, doin' somethin' is all."

Abby narrowed her eyes but shrugged and turned to the roller rink again. He was strange, but then again, he was always strange, so she didn't think of delving too deep into it.

On the other hand, Wally was panicking. The feeling he was getting when he looked at Abby was the feeling that Wally got when he looked at Kuki. He didn't like the feeling and shook his head furiously.

 _This is bad. I dunno what this is, but it's very very bad!_ He shouted to himself. _Alroight, I'll just stay 'ere. It won't get me here._

"So, uh, Abby?" he said, from a fair bit away. A shaky smile made its way to his lips as he leaned away. "How are ya feelin'? From all the...Cree, Numbuh 9 stuff?"

Abby's smile diminished, and her face softened as if she was going to break down any second. Wally straightened and the shaky smile left his face, replaced by a worried frown.

"Numbuh 5...well, Numbuh 5's doin' better, Wally. This has helped a lot. Thanks," she said, softly. Her eyes were filled with tears when she looked up at him, and he stiffened. He didn't know what to do or what to say - he wanted to get rid of those tears in her eyes though.

"How about you?" Wally was stuck. He didn't expect the question to be bounced back to him, all of a sudden. So, he shrugged and turned away.

"Yeah. I'll be foine, I reckon." Wally then shot her a warm smile; it looked unusually wise on him, Abby noted. "I just need some time before I talk to 'er again."

All of a sudden, he was engulfed in a warm and comfortable hug. He was wide-eyed as he realised that Abby was hugging him. Again. This time he didn't waste time in embracing her back, resting his head on her shoulder.

He didn't care that it was probably inappropriate and weird, but it made him feel better about everything that had happened.

"Don't worry, Wally. Numbuh 5's sure that everythang's gonna be alright between you two. And, thank you, again."

Before he could say anything, they were called in by Nigel.

"Numbuh 5, 4, come in!" Nigel's panicked voice came through, and Abby pulled away hurriedly.

"Numbuh 1? What's the matter?"

"We are under attack by Cree and Chad! I repeat, we are under attack by Cree and Chad, and we need back u-AHHHH!"

The call cut out.

"Numbuh 1!" Wally yelled, distressed, to no use. Both Abby and Wally shared a look before they shot up and raced out the roller rink.

They barged into the treehouse, weapons ready; Wally with his signature M.U.S.K.E.T and Abby with the S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R. Both Cree and Chad turned in their direction, their lips curled up in vicious sneers.

"Where's Numbuh 1, Cree?!" Abby yelled, standing in front of her.

"Ah, my sweet little sis is here! What a surprise," she scowled. Chad chuckled menacingly as he looked up at the roof. Wally and Abby's eyes followed his line of sight and up to the roof where Nigel, Kuki and Hoagie were all hanging down by a rope.

"Uh, guys, I don't feel so well..." Hoagie groaned, his face turning a sickly green.

"Ooh, are Numbuh 4 and 5 here?!" Kuki looked at Wally, a gentle smile on her face. "Oh hi, guys!"

Nigel groaned in irritation and Abby resisted the urge to face-palm. Instead, she faced Cree who smirked at her, her Battle Ready Armour covering most of her face. Abby could only see the evil glint in her eye.

"Well, Crabagail - what are you waiting for? Aren't you going to greet your older sister?"

"Oh, I'll greet ya alright!" Abby exclaimed as she flipped into the air and aimed straight for Cree. The latter quickly rolled over to the side as Wally raced towards Chad with a warrior cry.

"Let my friends go, you prissy teenager!" Wally yelled, as he mustered up all his strength and punched him straight in the jaw.

Chad flew to the ground with a yelp but shakily stood up a little while later. He pressed a button on his armour and immediately all three of his teammates fell straight to the ground, their screams echoing throughout the whole treehouse.

Wally's heart pounded, and usually, in this situation, he would jump and leap to Kuki's rescue - but he convinced himself that she was able to help herself. He, then, turned his attention to Chad, instead of Kuki and scowled at him.

As he fought Chad and tried to throw blows at him, from beside him, the others scrambled to grab their weapons and help.

"Look out, Numbuh 4!" Hoagie cried from behind him. Without asking him what he meant, Wally leapt to the side as Kuki began firing the G.U.M.Z.O.O.K.A at Chad, rapidly.

"Ow, ow, ow! Will you watch where you're shooting that thing at least?!" Chad yelled, trying to cover his face as he stepped back further and further.

Wally had his arms crossed, waiting for him to near him before sticking out his foot causing Chad to tumble backwards.

Just before he fell, Wally gave him a good kick to the jaw causing him to fly into the air and drop back down onto the floor.

"And stay down loser!" he scowled at Chad who was groaning on the floor. Cree screamed in frustration behind Wally and he turned to see her sneer venomously at Abby, swaying a little as she got up.

"You're seriously askin' for more, ain't ya, traitors?" Wally taunted, irritated at Cree and Chad's actions.

"Maybe w-UGH!" Before Chad could finish what he was trying to say, Wally landed a hard roundhouse kick to his body causing him to crash through the wall and fall off the treehouse.

"One thing I hate more than cruddy teens, are traitors like 'im," Wally muttered bitterly before turning his attention to Abby who was still dodging Cree's attacks. His eyes searched for Nigel who was clutching his stomach in pain.

 _She must 'ave took him down immediately,_ he thought, irked. Cree's primary focus always seemed to be on Abby, after all.

"UGH!" Cree screamed angrily when a puddle of mustard drenched her. Wally stood there smugly, holding his M.U.S.K.E.T.

In an instant, the room erupted into utter chaos; filled with carrots, laser fire and more mustard.

"Stupid brats! How dare you!?" Cree roared, leaping towards Wally who smirked and dodged. Abby ran up from behind and kicked Cree in the back of her legs.

She yelped and fell forward, slipping on some mustard that had spilt on the floor. The others pelted her with other gunk that came out of their 2x4 technology causing Cree to let out various high-pitched screams.

Abby frowned and crossed her arms. "You know you'll never defeat us, Cree. Now, get your butt outta here."

Weak and drenched, Cree got up on shaky legs, her face displaying a deep scowl aimed at Abby. "You might have won this time Crabagail, but I'll be back!"

The boosters on her feet began to activate and just like that, she soared into the air and flew out of the treehouse.

Silence engulfed the treehouse and Nigel weakly got up. "Well, team, good job. You deemed to be more useful than I was."

Hoagie glanced at Nigel. "Are you all right, Numbuh 1?"

"Yes, yes. I'm excellent. Just a little... _wounded_."

Kuki snickered, and Nigel shot a glare at her, though it didn't seem to denote any hatred. It looked like it was playful as the corner of his lip twitched into a small smile.

Hoagie then looked at himself. "Well then, I'm gonna go get changed. I got gunk down my pants and I feel super icky." He shuddered as he left the room, walking awkwardly.

"Right. Of course," Nigel said awkwardly, shooting a weird look at Hoagie's back. "We're covered in gunk, so that's probably a good idea." He took off his sunglasses which was covered with mustard and other such stuff that they were using. Somehow it had managed to get on all of them.

Wally didn't even realise that he had been hit too until Abby looked at him and snorted.

"What?" he questioned, annoyed. Wally looked Abby up and down and saw that she was just as gunk-covered as he was.

 _She looks...pretty even with gunk all over 'er,_ he thought, immediately frowning at what his mind said and mentally slapping himself. He shook his head furiously, causing some green gunk to fly out of it.

"Watch where you're shakin' your head, fool!"

"Well, I ain't gonna apologise," he snapped and Abby laughed.

"I never asked ya too."

"Shut up, kid."

"Who are you callin' kid, kid?" Abby retorted, an amused smile on her face.

"WILL YOU TWO CUT IT OUT AND GO GET CHANGED? WHAT AM I YOUR MOTHER?!" Nigel yelled from inside the treehouse.

Wally and Abby froze and looked around to see that everyone, but Kuki, had gone inside too, most likely to get changed. They then shared a wide-eyed look before the two burst into laughter. Abby quickly caught Kuki's eyes right after. She was looking straight at Wally, a longing look in her large eyes.

 _Poor Numbuh 3...she must be hurt. They haven't been talkin' for ages, after all,_ Abby wondered, studying Kuki thoughtfully. Abby then turned to Wally - she helped him at the beginning to get him back with Kuki. This is what she was aiming for this entire time.

To get everything back to normal. However...things were starting to seem normal with just her and him. She was so used to it already. Abby shook her head; she was beginning to sound selfish.

Abby didn't know why she wanted to be around Wally so much, but one thing she knew for sure - after all these years - was that he was always Kuki's. They had always been each other's, friends or not, and she could never have what he had with Kuki.

Abby was only a friend.

 _Okay, Numbuh 5 startin' to sound like Cree now, cut it out self,_ Abby scolded herself with a small chuckle. Whatever silly thought was going through her head had to be dismissed now.

She was only helping Wally and now she had the chance to get them to talk again. Also, possibly get them to confess too.

"Psst, Wal-," she went to whisper something to Wally when she realised he had disappeared from beside her. She whipped around to see he was about to sit on the sofa - still covered in gunk - and she freaked out. "WHAT DO YA THINK YOU'RE DOIN', FOOL?!"

Wally, shocked at the outburst, jerked back and he whipped around with wide eyes. Fear was etched across his face.

"What's the big idea?!" he exclaimed, looking like he just had a mini heart-attack. "I was just gonna cruddy sit 'ere and watch TV cos no one was sayin anythin'!"

Abby face-palmed and groaned. She marched towards Wally and pointedly glanced at Kuki who stood there, fumbling with the fabric of her green hoodie as she swayed innocently from side to side. She looked like she wanted to talk to Wally, but didn't know how.

"Go talk to her, genius," Abby said, smirking and staring at Wally who looked up at her, confused.

"What? Why would I do tha-OW, what did you do that for?!" Wally exclaimed, rubbing his ribs. He glared at Abby who had jabbed him there with her elbow.

"Talk to Numbuh 3, you fool!"

"Oh." Wally was still staring at Abby, his expression now taut and severe.

"Yeah, 'oh'," she said, worried as his eyes had turned empty and emotionless, resembling the eyes of a reptile. "Now go."

Wally, as if startled back into reality, blinked before tearing his gaze away. He rubbed the back of his neck as his green eyes glanced to the side at Kuki through his eyelashes, before looking up at Abby with pleading eyes.

"Do I have ta?"

Abby rolled her eyes at his childish behaviour. "She's upset that you're talkin' to Numbuh 5 and not her! So go talk to her! Plus, Numbuh 5 _knows_ you like her," Abby teased, a smirk on her face.

Despite her words though, she could feel her chest constricting painfully, for some reason she couldn't decipher. Ignoring it, she pushed a hesitant Wally towards Kuki.

Abby stood a fair foot away and pretended to pay attention to the TV that wasn't even on.

He stumbled forwards and landed right in front of Kuki. "Uh...hey Kuki," Wally said, his usual aggressive voice, now soft and unsure. Abby snorted to herself and shook her head. He was one of a kind, that was for sure.

"Hi, Wally," Kuki's loveable voice replied gently. Abby was glad she encouraged Wally to talk to her because the delight in Kuki's eyes showed just how happy she was.

Now fearing that she was intruding on their conversation, she slowly crept out. Abby had a smile on her face, but it felt forced. She was supposed to feel happy that things were going so well.

But then why did she feel so depressed?


	6. relax

_A/N: the next few chapters might be full of fluff and hella slow BUT then the real drama llama will happen soon. I just want to develop their relationship and get all the feelings out slowly so the problem can be dealt with later. I don't wanna rush into things cos it won't feel real ;P (even though it's not.)_

 _Disclaimer: It'll always belong to Mr Warburton, I own nothing!_

* * *

 _Operation: R.E.L.A.X_

A day later, things between Kuki and Wally hadn't changed much. The latter's conversation with each other was still awkward, but they had apologised to each other and Wally couldn't contain his happiness.

Also, on this particular day, the other members had gone out to relax: Nigel was fishing with his dad; Hoagie had to babysit his brother and Kuki was at the Rainbow Monkey Sugar Land amusement park with her sister Mushi. That left Wally and Abby with each other.

Not like they were complaining.

Wally and Abby had gone through two video games and even watched a couple of movies with two bowls of candy; it was fun, plus they were pretty high on sugar at this point.

Besides, Wally knew he owed everything to Abby, who helped cheer him up and even convinced him to talk to Kuki again. So, he wanted to thank her in his own way, which was through video games. Even though he was currently losing. To a _girl_.

 _I regret askin' her to play with me, now,_ he grumbled under his breath as he scowled at the TV.

"Ha, suck on that sucka!" Abby yelled as her character beat Wally's out of the game. He scoffed and glared at her.

"I've been lettin' ya win, y'know?" he muttered.

"Oh, really?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, really. What, ya don't believe me?"

"No, Numbuh 5 don't believe nothin' you say. You're just a sore loser," she said, ruffling his hair. Wally swatted her hand away as his left eye began twitching comically, and he gripped his remote controller tighter.

"Fine, then! Let's have a rematch!" he cried.

"Sure thing, baby. But don't come cryin' to me when you lose again." She shrugged, and Wally growled.

"We'll see who's cryin'," he mumbled as he glared at the TV, furiously pushing all the buttons on the controller. He was determined to win - he was Wally, after all.

 _C'mon, I can do it!_ he said, hyping himself up.

"C'mon, C'mon, C'mon you stupid character! Beat the crud outta 'er!" he yelled at the TV as he stood up on the couch, moving the controller rapidly.

"Aaaaaaaand," Abby pressed a button and Wally's character once again fell to the ground, seemingly unconscious. Abby turned to him victoriously. "You lost again, baby. Man, we should place a bet on these games!"

"WHAT!?" Wally yelled in frustration. In a fit of rage, he chucked his controller on the ground. "These cruddy games are rigged, I tell ya!"

"Suuuuure, whatever you say, Wally," Abby said. She smiled as she watched him plop down on the couch and sulk to himself.

"Dumb, cruddy, rigged games, lettin' girls win all the time," he grumbled. Abby shook her head, feeling kind of sorry for beating him repeatedly. But at the same time, she didn't want to help build his ego by letting him win either.

And considering all the years she'd spent with Wally, she had a feeling he wouldn't appreciate that either.

Abby shrugged. "Well then, I guess you gotta get better at games, sport."

"Don't call me that," he spat, sending a sharp glare in her direction. Just a second later, he rubbed his stomach and began to whine. "Ugh, I'm startin' to feel sick from all the candy you forced on me. It was your plan, wasn't it? Fatten me up on all this sugar so you could win while I'm dyin'!"

"What?" Abby looked at him wide-eyed. "Oh, don't go blamin' me, baby, that's all on you! I even offered to eat all the candy myself, but you insisted."

"Pfft, as if I'd let ya eat it all yourself! You were bein' selfish by hoggin' all the candy!"

"Numbuh 5, _selfish?_ Heck no! I don't know where you're gettin' all these ideas, but that's the first I'm hearing of it."

"A first? You've gotta be kiddin' me! You're more selfish than those Delightful Doofuses and their stupid cake!"

"Nobody's as selfish as them dolts," Abby remarked, rolling her eyes before reaching over and quickly stealing some candy from his bowl.

Wally's mouth dropped. "HEY! That's my butterscotch ya just stole, ya stealer!" he exclaimed, irritated as he tried to snatch it back.

Abby opened the wrapper and placed the candy near her mouth. "Apologise, or Numbuh 5's gonna be eatin' this while she makes ya watch!"

He gasped, the sound strangled as if he had just witnessed a tragedy. "Alroight, I'm sorry! Just...just leave my butterscotch alone, will ya?!"

Abby began to laugh at the desperation etched across his face as he looked at her. Her eyes swam with tears as the laughter became louder, harder, her body beginning to shake with it.

Wally, on the other hand, didn't seem too pleased, the desperation fading and replaced by an agitated expression. He stared at Abby, blankly, who looked like she couldn't breathe. He took that opportunity, though, to snatch the butterscotch back and pop it into his mouth.

"H-hey!" she protested, but she couldn't control the second round of laughter that bubbled up.

"Oh, just shut up," Wally grumbled, his mouth full.

Abby let out a couple of deep breaths to try and regain composure before she reached out and ruffled his hair. He clicked his tongue in vexation and swatted her hand away, but she smiled at him, affectionately. Abby was beginning to like and enjoy his company; she felt like she could say and do anything with him.

She didn't have to be the serious and oh-so-wise Abigail Lincoln. She could be silly and act her age. And she hadn't laughed like that in ages.

"Numbuh 5's jus' jokin'. You owe me for helpin' you with Numbuh 3, so I deserved that butterscotch."

Wally turned to look at her, his eyes softening. "Yeah...yeah, you're roight. It's cos of you that we're talkin' now." He let out a delighted sigh. "I forgot how fun it was with 'er!"

Abby smiled brightly. "See? And you have Numbuh 5 to thank for that."

He scoffed. "Anyone coulda helped me with that," he joked, before saying, "Nah. You're roight. Thanks, Abby."

"Don't thank me, squirt."

"ARGHHH! Don't call me that!" Wally growled in irritation. She laughed in response.

"But no seriously, give Numbuh 5 a butterscotch."

-.-.-.-.-.-

"Thanks again, Abby, for everythin'," Wally said, looking up at her as they grabbed an ice cream from the local stand. They had decided to go out and get some fresh air after being cooped up in the treehouse for practically hours.

"You can stop thankin' me now, Wally. You've said it a million times!"

"Well, I feel like I need ta thank ya bagilene times!" he said.

Abby stared at him with raised eyebrows. "Ba-what?"

This time, he was the one raising his eyebrow at her - not like she could see as they were mostly covered by his bangs.

"Bagilene. Do I need ta spell it out for ya, too?" Wally asked in exasperation. "B-A-G-I-L-E-N-E."

Abby tried not to snort in laughter but instead tried to help him. "You mean bajillion?"

"Yeah, that too," he said, smugly.

"You do realise that's not a real number?"

He looked at her as if she was crazy. _Couldn't she just accept that he wanted to cruddy thank 'er a lot?! Women._ He thought, annoyed.

"And ya do realise I don't care?" he retorted. Abby rolled her eyes.

"Well, you should, mister grouchy pants."

"Well, I don't, miss I-think-I'm-so-smart pants," he mimicked her, resulting in her whacking the back of his head with her cap.

"Ow!" Wally exclaimed, rubbing the sore spot. "What the crud was that for?!"

"For bein' annoying," she said, bluntly. Wally scowled but said nothing as he continued rubbing his head. They walked a little more before they decided to sit down at a bench that overlooked the beach.

Wally eyed the ice cream Abby bought in disgust. "Wait, hold on a cruddy second: you like _pistachio_ ice cream?"

Abby raised an eyebrow at him. "What's wrong with pistachio?"

"It's a nut!"

"It's a yummy nut, kid," she said, teasingly.

Wally snapped his head to glare at her, and she instantly bit her lip to stop from laughing. The sight caused him to grin as well and Abby's eyes widened.

"Woah, boy, what happened to the oh-so-defensive Wally?"

"Guess bein' called a kid ain't that bad. I am a kid, after all, but we all know that you're the real kid here," Wally smirked when he saw the gobsmacked face that belonged to none other than Abby.

"Oh, really now? Well, watch yer back cos Numbuh 5's gonna get you back good, baby!" she said when she regained her composure as she was initially taken aback by his somewhat smart response. Wally snorted at her and licked his Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice-cream.

 _Man is this good or what?!_ Wally mulled excitedly, practically devouring his treat.

"Calm down there, boy. The ice cream'll still be there, so you don't need to be so hasty," Abby said with a snort. Wally rolled his eyes.

"Shut up," he mumbled, his entire mouth now covered with chocolate. Without a second thought, Abby casually reached over and wiped his mouth with the napkin she was holding.

"Dang, Wally, eat more slowly, it's all over ya face," she said, coolly. When Wally froze under her touch, she realised what she had done and stiffened, too. As their wide eyes met, he gulped, confused. Abby was panicking on the inside, her stomach twisting and turning weirdly.

Emerald eyes stared into charcoal ones intently...and awkwardly. Everything had turned silent all of a sudden; the bird noises, the screams and laughs of people of the beach could no longer be heard as it felt like there was no one else but them.

It was only when a beach ball nearly hit Wally in the head that the two came back to reality; Abby pulled her hand away quickly as if she had been burnt.

 _Now, why'd I go and do that for!?_ She thought, annoyed. She wanted to slap herself but didn't want to look like she was pondering over something so little.

"You gotta stop eating like a 5-year-old," Abby rushed out, trying to cut through the awkward silence that had suddenly filled the air.

"Uh...roight," Wally said with a forced chuckle.

"How're things with Numbuh 3, Wally?" Abby asked, attempting to divert the topic. The atmosphere instantly turned lighter as Wally's face relaxed.

"Yeah, pretty good. Things are back to normal, thank cruddy goodness for that! She's fun to be 'round, y'know?" he said, and at the teasing look Abby was shooting him, he flushed a dark shade of pink.

"Numbuh 5 can see you're blushin'!" she teased and Wally huffed, looking away.

"I ain't blushin'!"

"Yeah, you are."

"No, I ain't. I don't _blush_. You're just blind, Abby."

"You wish, baby! Numbuh 5's eyesight has never failed her!" she actually _giggled_ seeing the dark shade of red that overtook the tanned boy once again. Wally's eyes widened, and he snapped his head to stare at the girl beside him, taken aback.

Abby was just as shocked as him and they both shared a look before they burst into laughter.

"You just giggled. The Numbuh 5 just _giggled_ ," he said, horrified causing Abby to cross her arms, defensively.

"Numbuh 5 only giggled once. It's not a big deal," she muttered, suddenly embarrassed.

Wally snickered at her. "Ya still giggled," he snorted, finishing the last bit of his ice cream cone by chucking it into his mouth. "If ya turn into anythin' like those sissy girly girls then I'm gonna go cruddy nuts."

"You've already gone nuts, fool," she said, then with a smirk continued, "for Numbuh 3."

Wally narrowed his eyes at her and glowered at the girl who was bent over laughing, the ice cream nearly falling off her cone. "Har-har, that was _sooo_ cruddy funny," he said in a dull monotone as he stared blankly ahead.

His eyes then glanced over at the ice cream again, and it was then that a smirk overtook the frown on his face.

 _If she's gonna laugh at me, then alroight, suit 'erself,_ he thought, with a scoff. Without another word, he snatched the ice cream out of her hand and took a massive bite out of it.

Abby straightened up to stare wide-eyed at Wally who's face had quickly turned into a grimace. She snatched her cone back and narrowed her eyes at him, though she was thoroughly enjoying the look of disgust on Wally's face. He was obviously regretting taking a bite of her ice cream now.

"You just ate Numbuh 5's pistachio ice-cream, fool!" she scolded him, trying to hide a mocking grin on her face.

"I know, and I'm startin' to-," he choked on the words as he talked with his mouth full. Swallowing hard, he continued, "-startin' to cruddy regret it. BLEUGH, it tastes like cruddy nuts!"

Abby face-palmed and ate the remaining of her ice cream, not caring that most of it was consumed by Wally. She wasn't like other kids who thought cooties were real.

Wally had noticed that ages ago, especially during the mission where he ate the Coconut Logs despite being allergic to them. Everyone had thought he had cooties, everyone but Abby.

Right now, he caught a glimpse of her gently licking her ice-cream without a care in the world. Without fretting about the fact that he had just bit off most of it with his mouth and how his saliva would most definitely be on it.

He wanted to shiver in disgust, but his body didn't want to cooperate. Instead, he could feel his face going beet red, and when Abby caught his eyes, he felt as if he had been caught stealing from the cookie jar.

Wally quickly diverted his eyes away to the beach and cleared his throat as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "C'mon, hurry it up already. You're slower than Kuki," he grumbled.

Abby took her sweet time in finishing the tasty treat and shoved Wally playfully.

"Just because you finished your cone doesn't mean you can irritate Numbuh 5 about it, boy!"

"Whatevah," he mumbled, crossing his arms.

"Uh..guys?" Nigel's familiar voice floated through their ears, and both Wally and Abby whipped around at the sound.

Nigel and Lizzie stood a fair foot away from them, holding hands. Nigel looked more than a little nervous, his smile forced and crooked.

"What are you guys doing here?" he asked, chuckling nervously. Abby narrowed her eyes and shared a knowing look with the blonde next to her. They both knew exactly why Nigel was nervous and red-faced.

"What are _you_ doin' 'ere, Numbuh 1?" Wally questioned him back, raising an eyebrow before smirking in Lizzie's direction. "You on a date, eh lover boy?"

"I am not on a date!" Nigel silently ground his teeth as both Abby and Wally began to snicker, teasingly. "This is NOT a date, guys!" he again tried to clarify, snatching his hand away from under Lizzie's.

Lizzie frowned and crossed her arms. "Nigieeee, why do you always lie to your stupid friends?!"

Wally stopped laughing and frowned in her direction. "Who you callin' stupid, st-"

Knowing what was coming, Abby quickly cut him off. "Numbuh 1, you said that you were out fishin' with your dad," she then raised an eyebrow, "so you were lyin', huh?"

"N-no! I never lie-" Lizzie cleared her throat, and Nigel sighed in irritation. "-I don't lie _often_ , but my dad was busy, okay? Lizzie called and wanted to hang out so I saw no harm in doing so. It is just another mission."

"Roiiiight. Another mission, eh? Ya mean your date?" Wally remarked with a playful grin. At seeing Nigel turn as red as a tomato, both Abby and Wally snickered together for what seemed like the millionth time that day.

Abby grinned, mischievously. "Well, then, we don't wanna hold you up on your 'date', _Nigie_."

"Yeah, Numbuh 1, have fun being all kissy-kissy face with your _guuuuuuurlfriend_ ," Wally said, his smirk growing more extensive at the sight of Numbuh 1's flustered state.

"G-guys, I said this wa -"

"Let's go, Niiiigie! You promised we could go on the Sugary Love ride together!" Lizzie whined. She yanked on Nigel's arm, pulling him in the opposite direction, completely ignoring Wally and Abby.

" _Sugary Love_ ride?" Wally exclaimed, outraged, his mouth curled down in disgust as he stuck his tongue out. "What kind of lame, cruddy ride is that?!"

"Ignore him, Nigie!" Lizzie said, pulling Nigel's flustered self away.

"O-Okay, guys, I'll, uh, see you later?" As he was being dragged away, he looked over his shoulder, talking over Lizzie's excited screams. "By the way, why are you guys here _together?"_

Wally and Abby's laughs had vanished immediately. They were stuck on an answer - not that Nigel would hear even if they gave him one. He was long gone by the time they had thought of an appropriate response.

After a few seconds of silence, Wally shrugged as Abby recited the words from her mind.

"Well, we're friends, and Numbuh 5 thinks we can hang out if we want to."

"Roight!" Wally agreed quickly, nodding his head as if he was convincing himself of something. Her sentence - for some reason - didn't sit well with him, and it caused him to frown deeply.

"Anyway, do you want to go back to the treehouse or go to the beach?"

Wally shot up, alarmed. "The beach?! Oh, NO cruddy way! Ya know I can't swim, so why would ya even suggest somethin' as stupid as that?!"

Abby shot her hands up in surrender. "It was just a suggestion, baby. No need to get all hulk on me." She grinned as they began walking back to the treehouse. "But Numbuh 5 could always teach ya to swim one day, you know?"

Wally stiffened and stared up at her, his green eyes now vulnerable - a rare sight to Abby. "Would ya actually do somethin' like that?"

Abby looked at him as if he was crazy. "Course Numbuh 5 would do that. Well, if you want, that is."

"Yeah...yeah, I'd like that, I think," Wally said, tearing his gaze away from hers. They then both began to walk back to the treehouse in silence, Abby more surprised as the last thing she expected was for him to think over the offer.

Still, she found herself not minding.


	7. swim

_Disclaimer: I don't own KND! This is just a bit of a filler chapter? I guess...I kinda know where I'm going with all of this, but yeah!_

* * *

 _Operation: S.W.I.M._

For the first time in a long time, the members of Sector V were at the beach after Wally's constant insistence. He had wanted to learn to swim ever since Abby had offered the other day. It was also the first time _Wally_ willingly offered to go to the beach, so the others agreed. The beach was fun for them all, after all.

Except for Nigel, of course.

"Ugh, I don't understand why Numbuh 4 wanted to come to the beach of all places! It's the most boring place ever," he complained as soon as they arrived. Kuki hummed and shook her head, a small smile on her face as she plopped down onto the sand and immediately began to build her sandcastle.

"Come on, Numbuh 1, don't be a baby! The beach is fuuun!" she giggled when he shot her an annoyed look. "Do you want to help me build this castle? I'm the princess!"

"Uh," Nigel was reluctant. "Maybe some other time," he said, offhandedly.

"Do you want to come with me to get a hot dog, then?" Hoagie piped up, turning in the direction of the hot dog stand.

Nigel scratched at the back of his neck. "Sure, I guess," and then in a mumble, said, "Not that I have much else to do here."

As Nigel and Hoagie headed to get some food, Abby was lying on her back in the water, the soothing waves rippling over her body. She enjoyed the sun hitting down on her face and warming her body, in contrast to the ice cold water of the beach.

"So, are ya gonna teach me or not?" a voice yelled from afar.

She opened her eyes and stood up, the water up to her waist as she turned. Wally stood just a fair bit away from the sea, on the beach shore, watching her with his arms crossed.

His hair flopped in front of his eyes, as usual, so she couldn't tell if he was looking at her or not.

Abby smiled widely. "Sure thing, baby, let's do this!" She walked up to him with a grin as she looked him over. Wally had his orange arm floaties on each arm as he looked at her.

His eyebrows were pulled down into a frown as she gestured for him to enter the water. He did so, but hesitantly and upon putting his toes in, Wally hissed at the feeling of the cold water.

"I ain't gonna let the stupid water win. I ain't, I ain't, I ain't," he kept muttering to himself, over and over as he walked closer to Abby.

She smiled at him encouragingly, and soon the water came up to his trunks.

"Alroight, there, I did it," Wally rushed out, a weak smile on his lips as he whipped around to race away. "I'm gonna go back now-AH!" He was yanked back by Abby, who placed her hands on his shoulders firmly.

"That wasn't even swimmin', boy! There's no way you're goin' back until you've learned how to _properly_ swim!"

Wally ground his teeth and let out a sharp breath through his nose before finally nodding. She pulled him gently by the arm and the colour drained out of his face as he realised that Abby was taking him a little deeper into the water.

Wally tightened his grip on her arm, his eyes frantic as he looked around. His legs began flailing everywhere, causing the water to bubble around them.

"Calm down, Wally, Numbuh 5's got ya!"

"NOOO," he screamed, the sound resembling a girl's, "I'm gonna drown! I don't wanna die like this! No, no, don't let go of me, Abby-"

"Numbuh 5's not letting go of you anytime soon, baby. Don't worry, I'm here," she said, softly. Wally began to breathe exaggeratedly, his chest heaving up and down in large movements. After mumbling some encouraging words, he began to calm down a little, his panicked breathing now a little evener.

"Okay, let's get you relaxed in the water first, yeah?" Abby prodded, gently.

Seeing his reluctant nod, she turned towards the beach. Nigel and Hoagie were back from the hot dog stand and were sitting on the beach chairs, devouring their food.

"Numbuh 1, can ya pass Numbuh 5 the beach ball?" she yelled. He lazily got up and chucked the ball in their direction, and when she went to grab it, she was yanked back.

Wally looked frantically into Abby's eyes. "Ya said you weren't gonna leave!"

"Numbuh 5 knows what she said. Ya can hold onto me while I get the beach ball," Abby said, trying to ease his nerves. She felt sorry for Wally and his fear of the water. She wondered what it was like for him to be in the water despite being super afraid of it.

As she grabbed the beach ball, she swam back out where they were before, slowly, of course, to make sure Wally was okay with it and looked at him with a gentle smile.

"You know," she started, and Wally's alarmed eyes blinked up at her. "Numbuh 5's proud of ya for doin' this. Facin' your fears takes a lot of courage, and not everyone can do that."

Wally stared the alarm in his expression slowly fading away. "Thanks, Abs-I mean Abby." He shot her a crooked smile.

She was shocked. Abby had never ever been called anything other than Numbuh 5 by Wally. But now, things were changing suddenly: he was calling her Abby, and now...he wanted to call her Abs.

"It's okay, Wally. You can call me Abs," she said, awkwardly. "If ya want to."

He nodded, but his mind was elsewhere. To him at the moment, Abby was like an angel that had appeared to him.

 _Ugh, that sounds so cruddy weird,_ he shuddered. But, Abby was the only one willing to teach him how to swim and to get over his fears - no one ever bothered with it.

 _She's more amazin' than I thought,_ he mulled absentmindedly, staring up into her dark eyes that seemed to look more attractive as time went by.

Abby blinked at the look he was giving her. "Uh, Wally?"

Wally shook his head, and his whole body jerked in alarm. His thoughts ashamed him as the tips of his ears turned red. "W-what?! Is there a shark or somethin' 'ere?!"

A lightbulb went off in her head and she snickered, going along with the idea. "Yup, don't move, baby!" Even before she could finish, Wally let out a particularly girlish shriek and leapt on top of her.

"NOOO, I DON'T WANNA DIE YET!"

When Abby burst out laughing and shook her head, Wally looked around, only to realise there was no shark. His shoulders deflated in relief but as he got off her, he shot a menacing glare at her.

"Funny, _reaaal_ cruddy funny," he stated, bitterly.

"Numbuh 5's sorry, but" she snickered to herself, "it was too funny!" Wiping a tear that escaped, she sighed, "Anyway, back to the task at hand. Numbuh 5's gonna teach you to relax." Abby grabbed the beach ball and stepped away from Wally a little but as soon as she let go, he visibly panicked.

"You'll be alright, you've got your floaties on."

He nodded and clenched his jaw, looking at her straight on, trying to be tough. Abby admired him for it.

"Let's toss the beach ball back and forth?" she offered.

He nodded once again. Wally didn't rely on his tongue to say anything since he was sure he would scream in fear if he opened his mouth now. Abby tossed him the ball, and he hit it back, a tad bit rougher than usual. Soon enough, his body had relaxed and gotten used to the feeling of the water around him.

"Alroight," he said, his voice a tad bit shaky. "I can breathe a little, now."

"Yeah? Do you want to just lie back on the water and relax, for now?"

"I-I, uh, sure?" he said, sounding completely unsure. Wally didn't really know what to do. He was relaxed playing with the beach ball, but he also wanted to do as many things as possible in the water so he could get rid of the fear.

Abby helped him lie on his back, but he was breathing heavily, his chest going up and down in a rapid manner. She placed a hand on his chest to help calm him down.

"Take a deep breath and let it out slowly; c'mon, do it with Numbuh 5." They both took deep breaths in and let it out in a long, slow _whoosh_ , together. Wally was feeling much better as he laid still, unmoving against the rapidly moving waves.

"This ain't helpin'," he squeaked out.

Abby rolled her eyes. "That's cos you ain't movin'."

"I am!"

"Then loosen up your body, fool, it's all tense!" She could feel the stiffness of his body as she held onto him, helping him stay afloat. "Let your arms caress the water a little."

Wally robotically moved his arms, laughing hysterically to avoid thinking about the situation. A few seconds ticked by and even he had to admit; lying down on the water actually felt good. His eyes were focused on Abby's face only, mostly because he knew if he looked anywhere else, he'd freak out.

 _I ain't gonna drown. I ain't gonna drown, I ain't gonna let the water eat me, not today, sucka,_ he recited in his head. Wally quickly tore his gaze away from Abby as soon as she looked at him with an encouraging smile.

"Ya doing good, Wally!" she said, her eyes as bright as the sun. Her hair was out of the usual plait she wore and was wet; he couldn't help but stare with his mouth open. Even the look on her face made him gulp nervously.

As he had no other choice but to look away and up at the bright blue sky, he couldn't help but replay the smile she shot him, the way her dark, wet hair glistened in the sunlight and the way her eyes twinkled as she looked at him.

 _W-what's...why am I thinkin' about Abby?!_ He thought, frustrated. _Nah, it's just cos I'm scared, and she's helpin' me. Course I'll be thinkin' about her. I wonder what Kuki's doin'..._

With that thought in mind, all his tense muscles loosened all of a sudden, and he shut his eyes, relaxed.

-.-.-.-.-.

Wally had forgotten what it was like to be around Kuki again. They had apologised but there was still a thought that had been bugging him - a misunderstanding that still hadn't been clarified.

Even still, he spent more time with Kuki than with Abby even though, before, it was the latter he spent time with. Now they barely talked. It was weird because he was starting to like her presence around him.

But now, Kuki was back in his thoughts. She was cheerful, bubbly and... adorable. Not that Wally would ever admit that, though.

 _Not in a gajabillion years would I tell 'er that!_ He snorted to himself.

"Oi, Kooks, could I talk to ya for a sec?" Wally paused the game that they were playing and Kuki frowned.

"Aw, I was beating your butt, though!"

Wally scowled. "You were not," he mumbled like a grumpy five-year-old. It reminded him of when he and Abby binge-played video games the other day, though, and he found himself missing it. In all the years they'd known each other, they had never spent one on one time together, and she had never played video games with him.

And it was surprisingly fun.

Wally quickly shook his head, trying to get rid of unwanted thoughts when he was with Kuki, his bangs flopping from side to side. "I, uh, I actually wanted to ask ya somethin'."

Kuki turned to face him with those big eyes of hers that he'd admired for years. Wally stuttered, "Uh...do ya...ya know, _like_ Numbuh 1? Or somethin'?"

The anticipation left her eyes and surprise took over as her eyes widened. "Like, like-like?"

Wally hummed, looking away. "Yeah, like-like."

Kuki snorted and slapped Wally's shoulder, playfully. "Of course not, silly! Why would I like Numbuh 1?!"

The sense of relief wasn't as immense as he had hoped or imagined, but still, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "N-no reason! Just wonderin' ya know? So, um, what did he want with ya? Said he wanted to teach ya or show ya somethin'?"

"I told him I wanted to lead a mission one day and so he was teaching me how to be a leader!"

Wally choked on his own saliva. "You?! Leadin' a mission?" _Oh crud, no!_ he screamed in his mind.

"Well, not anytime soon, silly! But soon!"

"Uh...roight. Numbuh 1's gone mad."

"Hey!" Kuki protested but Wally ignored her, turning back to the TV.

"Anyway, let's play; I'm so close to winnin'."

She eyed him with a giggle. "You're so weird, Wally! We both know that I'm the one that's gonna win!" she said, her Japanese accent making everything she said seem childish.

He scoffed in reply, grumbling under his breath. He was glad that the thing that he had been bothered about the most had been clarified, and all this time, he just needed to talk to her like Abby had suggested to him from the very start.

During their conversation, however, Wally hadn't notice Abby joining the others in the room, plopping onto the couch next to theirs, reading her magazine.

Things had gone back to normal very quickly and Abby was comfortable with how things were. Their time together seemed to be very short-lived, but she was glad she got to spend time with Wally even if it was just a little.

But still, there was a feeling of regret pooling within her stomach. She glanced up at Kuki and Wally bickering and laughing with each other and she involuntarily let out a resigned sigh.


	8. confusion

_A/N: This chapter is way longer than my other ones! I didn't know how to split it in half D: But I guess it's a good thing? Hopefully it's got good content haha!_

 _DISCLAIMER: I do not own KND and I never will, unfortunately!_

* * *

 _Operation: C.O.N.F.U.S.I.O.N_

Wally and Kuki were back to normal now, much to the relief of everyone else. They weren't on a 'date' per se, but it was just the two of them which hadn't been the case for a long time.

Initially, she had dragged him to Rainbow Monkey Island, but seeing his face, they detoured. Instead, they ended up at the local carnival.

They had first gone on the Bumper Cars, then the Ferris Wheel and lastly got their faces painted - well, _Kuki_ got her face painted. Wally didn't want to look like a 'dork'.

As they finally sat down to eat their fairy floss, Wally couldn't help but stare at the girl sitting beside him, happily eating without a care in the world.

Strange, to see how things were so drastically different now. Before it had been Abby in Kuki's place, but now, things were back to normal again. He couldn't stop thinking about their time together - he owed everything to Abby, but ever since Wally and Kuki started talking once again, they hadn't had time to bond as they did before.

When the two of them went back to the treehouse, no one looked up but Abby, who had a teasing smile on her face as he and Kuki were holding hands. It had become so much of a habit and a natural thing to do, that he didn't realise they were holding hands until then. Wally immediately snatched his hand away and scowled at Abby.

"So, how was the date, lover-boy?" she asked, taking off her headphones and putting down her magazine.

Hoagie pressed pause on his video game and raised both his eyebrows, perplexed.

"You were on a date?! With Numbuh 3?!"

Wally turned beet-red as Kuki giggled beside him. "N-no, shut up! It wasn't a date, alroight!?"

Abby and Hoagie shared a mischievous look before they started singing, "Wally and Kuki sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Wally fumed and clenched his fists. "I-I-but, uh, ARGH, it wasn't a date!"

As he stormed off, he didn't miss the frown that framed Kuki's face. _Ugh, now what did I do!?_ He wondered as he angrily marched towards his room. The last thing he wanted to do was make Kuki cry when they just had a fun day. He just didn't like the way Abby was teasing him when it clearly wasn't a date.

 _Wait, was it?_ he thought to himself, confused.

As he sat in his boxing ring, Wally looked up in thought. He didn't know why he was so mad at everything and everyone; he had a great time with Kuki, and he was ruining things.

He had a slight hunch as to why he was slightly mad, though.

 _Abby._

Well, they made small chit-chat as they used to before things went awry with Kuki - so it wasn't that bad. Just because they weren't talking much, didn't mean anything. He didn't care that much.

At least, that's what he thought but now...now, he wasn't so sure. He was missing her presence, the way her dark eyes twinkled and changed to a light brown when the sun hit them, the way her wavy hair came out on rare occasions and accentuated her sharp features and the wide, bright smile that only he ever got to witness.

He never even got to thank her for helping him with swimming a week ago. He had wanted to schedule another lesson but didn't want to annoy her. Plus, since they barely talked, he couldn't find the exact time.

Wally kept glancing over at his door, half-wondering whether Abby would come after him and kick the door down. A part of him was hoping she'd waltz in to demand why he was moping around. He was so confused about what he was feeling, but he didn't want to think about it.

He shook his head, scoffing.

 _It ain't nothin. I'm just bein' cruddy stupid! Kuki...is finally talkin' to me so I should be focused on that,_ he thought with a satisfied sigh.

-.-.-.-.-.-

"I was not!" Wally cried, his face turning red.

"Was too."

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was-"

"Okay you two, cut it out!" Nigel said, who was trying to eat his dinner in peace. Hoagie snorted but continued to scoff down the mashed potatoes and beef.

"I was not starin' at Lizzie during the cruddy mission!" Wally grumbled under his breath, crossing his arms. Kuki giggled and patted his head causing him to swat her hand away. Still, a small grin twisted his lips that Abby noticed from across him.

A gentle smile adorned hers. Wally and Kuki looked so happy - as if they were already a couple. They were able to tease each other about the simplest things too and could pair the other with a person of another gender without being bothered about it.

It was so frustrating to know that they liked each other and acted as if they were dating but refused to say anything.

Abby almost felt jealous of them. They were cute...but it seemed so ideal that her heart pricked with a burning sensation that she couldn't get rid of. Ever since that swimming lesson a week ago, she couldn't help but admire Wally more than usual.

Abby stared down at her plate of mashed potatoes. She didn't even like mashed potatoes; they tasted like bland mush.

She let out a sigh. Abby was stuck. She missed talking to Wally. It was strange because, before the whole Kuki dilemma, they never spoke much, but now things were different. Their friendship had changed so quickly.

Kuki and Wally were still bickering, despite Nigel's constant attempts to stop them from chattering but they didn't listen. Abby hid her eyes from view, her cap assisting her, but her eyes involuntarily glanced up.

At Wally in particular.

He was grinning as he looked at Kuki, intently as if she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

 _He isn't wrong, I can see why he likes her,_ Abby thought, _Numbuh 3 is pretty._ But for some reason, that thought hurt her even more.

No one ever liked _her_.

 _No! Stop! Don't go there Abby, it ain't right, you're stronger than that,_ She shook her head, in irritation, frustrated at her own thoughts.

She didn't realise she was crying or was close to until Hoagie nudged her. When she blinked, she realised her eyes were wet.

"Hey you alright, Numbuh 5? You haven't touched your food," he inquired, with wide eyes, trying to peer into her face.

Abby quickly blinked away the tears beginning to brim over her lids and turned her head away. A little sniffle left her, but she covered it up with a cough.

"Yeah, I'm fine, baby. Just a little sick," she said with a croak. To emphasise that she was feeling fine, she picked up a forkful of mashed potatoes and shoved it into her mouth.

Hoagie seemed satisfied with her answer and nodded, focusing his attention back to his plate.

"Can you please pass me the salt, Numbuh 1?" Abby asked, cringing at the bland taste of the potatoes. Wally glanced up at her and willingly set out to grab the salt, half-laughing half-scoffing at something Kuki said.

"I'll do it, Ab-"

"Numbuh 5 asked Numbuh 1, Wally, _not_ you," she said, harshly. Abby instantly regretted the tone in which she said it and inwardly cringed at how cold her words came out. Everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at Abby, flabbergasted.

Wally sat there, with a frown on his face, the salt gripped tightly in his hand as he looked at her, his eyebrows brought down into a furrow. He was more than offended. He was _hurt_. It wasn't like he had done anything to her for her to be so mad at him, so he didn't understand why she was being rude.

Abby bent her head a little, the cap hiding his view of her face.

"Numbuh 5's sorry," she muttered, her voice attempting to sound sturdy but failing. It trembled slightly and Wally wanted to ask her what was wrong; he sensed something was nagging at her almost immediately.

"Uh..it's alroight, Abby," Wally replied, not entirely sure what had just happened. He shared a glance with Kuki who looked just as confused as him. He was mostly concerned though - it wasn't typical of Abby. "Don't worry 'bout it," he added when silence rung out throughout the entire treehouse. "'Ere's your salt, though. Should make ya happy, Abs, since you're bein' so salty."

Everyone stared at Wally this time, shocked at his use of 'Abs' to address Abby - a nickname that no one ever used. Wally ignored it and grinned at the slightly upset girl across from him.

His attempt at a 'joke' didn't go missed by Abby though, and she let out a genuine laugh.

"Please don't evah do that again, fool. Your jokes are as bad as Numbuh 2's!"

The others, seemingly shaking their head and trying to forget the awkward moment, all shared a laugh.

Everyone except for Hoagie, that is, who looked wounded at the comment. "Hey! I think my jokes are pretty funny, thank you very much!" he said, defensively.

Abby smiled at Hoagie, nudging him with her elbow. As everyone went back into eating their dinner again, Wally was glad Abby was back to her usual self, but he watched her with wary eyes, occasionally glancing up at her to make sure she was okay.

 _What made her go off like that?_ He asked himself, his lips set in a thin line. It was strange to see her suddenly mad at nothing and it didn't sit well with him at all.

After dinner, they were clearing everything up when Wally saw Abby slowly walk off in the direction of her room. He followed her hurriedly.

"Oi, Abby?" he called, tentatively.

She froze at the sound of her name and turned slightly. Wally shoved his hands in his pockets, suddenly nervous as their eyes collided. Abby's eyes looked so sad...but so guarded.

"Can I talk to ya, for a second?"

"If this is about what happened during dinner, the-"

"No, it ain't 'bout that," Wally cut in, but then backtracked, "well, it is. But not that. Just...I just wanna know if you're alroight, y'know?"

Abby was shocked. She had half expected him to demand why she was being so nasty during the dinner.

So, instead, she shrugged and smiled at him."Numbuh 5's alright, boy. No need to worry."

"Roiiiiiight," he said, in a tone that made it obvious that he didn't believe her at all. He narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously. "Well, um, if you ever wanna talk, you know that -"

"I know," she cut him off, suddenly, enveloping them into a profound silence. They stared at each other; one with a knowing look and the other, troubled.

Abby looked away first, uncomfortable. "Look, Numbuh 5's tired, and she needs her beauty sleep."

 _And lots of it,_ she thought to herself.

Wally cleared his throat as his ears flushed red. "R-roight, sorry for holdin' ya up. I was just...yeah. Just wanted you to know you can talk to me," he said, awkwardly.

Abby, just as awkwardly, smiled and turned, walking away. As soon as she was out of sight, the awkward smile on Wally's face dissipated into a frown as he cringed to himself. He slapped his head multiple times as he began to pace back and forth.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, why'd you go and have ta say that for, ya moron!?" he yelled to himself. When Wally turned, he came face to face with Kuki who had a slight frown on her face. He jumped back in shock to see her so close.

"Woah, Kooks! Didn't see ya there?" he said, the realisation coming out as a question.

"Is Numbuh 5 going to be okay?" she said, cutting straight to the point. At the mention of Abby, his stomach clenched, weirdly. He ignored it and cleared his throat.

"Yeah, I think she should be alroight. Numbuh 5 will get through whatever it is she's goin' through cos she's strong. We all know that."

Kuki stared at him as if he had said the wisest thing ever. Wally blushed and pushed past her, walking as fast as he could to avoid her. But as always, Kuki was right on his heels.

"Awwwwww, you're so sweeeeet, Wally!"

"Ugh, I am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Ha!" Kuki exclaimed, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "You silly billy, you just admitted it!" She pointed her sleeve at him while giggling at his red face.

Wally was fuming. "ARGH!-I _meant_ am not, now shut up Kuki!"

She pouted and crossed her arms. "No!"

Wally grumbled as he settled into the couch near the TV, Hoagie sitting on the floor near it, fixing a device. All the while, he glared at the Japanese girl in front of him who refused to move.

"We've got to do something to make her feel better, Wally!"

Wally rolled his eyes. "I told ya she'll be fine! If she wants ta talk, she'll come and talk to us."

"Waaally," she emphasised his name in warning, one eyebrow raising.

"What?!"

"When us girls say something is fine, it usually isn't. You should know this!"

"How would I know that!? I'm a boy, not a girly girl!" he said, irritated.

"Yeah, Numbuh 4," Hoagie spoke up, wiggling his eyebrows at Wally, "you should know thi-" At the enraged look Wally shot Hoagie, the latter backed away, his hands up in surrender.

"Sorry, geez, I was just trying to have some fun," he muttered as he got up and walked away.

"Well, don't!" Wally snapped, crossing his arms. Kuki sighed and dragged him up from the couch.

"Come on, Mr Grumpy Pants! Numbuh 5 needs us! She would do the same for us if we were in a bad mood."

At that, Wally looked up and stopped fighting Kuki's grasp. She wasn't wrong. Abby listened to his problems and even tolerated his whining, plus she helped him with his fear. Abby was doing everything no one else wanted to do.

So the least he could do was help her somehow.

"Alroight, fine," he relented, causing Kuki to squeal in happiness. She jumped on him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He could feel the heat rising within him, and he let out an airy, almost dazed laugh.

As they planned, Wally watched as Hoagie came out again, but this time with Abby behind him, a smile etched on her face.

He couldn't help but stare suspiciously at the two of them, his eyes narrowed - why, he didn't know. It was as if his eyes were glued to the scene before him.

 _Why's she smilin' like that…? And with Numbuh 2?!_ He wondered, almost horrified.

Abby looked so happy with him, causing Wally to narrow his eyes at them. "Wally, listen! I've got it!" Kuki squealed from beside him, resulting in him tearing his gaze away from the two who were now sharing candy in the kitchen.

He glanced at Kuki who had a mischievous glint in her eye. "Maybe she just wants someone to understand her!"

Wally furrowed his eyebrows; he was sure that Kuki had finally lost it. "What in the crud does that even mean?"

"You know!"

"Um, no?"

"Maybe she just needs someone to talk to her, like Numbuh 2, silly!" she said, her grin growing wider each second. On the other hand, Wally still wasn't following.

"I don't get it," he deadpanned.

Kuki face-palmed and grabbed his cheeks, forcefully turning his head towards Abby and Hoagie who were now fixing 2x4 technology together.

"See how quickly he got her out of her room?! She looked so upset, but now Numbuh 5's smiling! We should get Numbuh 2 and Numbuh 5 together, Wally!"

Wally didn't like the idea, at all. He had no explanation as to why, but he just didn't.

"Is that necessary?" he asked, the words coming out awkwardly. Kuki sighed and put her hands on her hips.

"Of course it is! I've always thought they'd make a cute couple, don't you?"

"Yeah," he mumbled, annoyed as he turned away from Kuki to glance at Abby and Hoagie. "A cute _couple_."

He didn't know why it sounded so sour in his mouth and the thought made him want to vomit. But Kuki was happy with it, and since it meant spending more time with her, he was pleased with whatever. Well, slightly pleased.

Plus, if it meant Abby would be smiling more, then he knew he really couldn't complain.

Still, he didn't know why the whole situation was giving him an icky, disgusting feeling inside. He just wanted to get away. Instead, both he and Kuki continued to spy on two of their members; Kuki with excitement and Wally with suspicion.

-.-.-.-.-

Hoagie was quick to dissipate all of Abby's sadness with his lame jokes.

He even coaxed her into going into the kitchen just for the candy - and she couldn't say no. She'd always had a sweet tooth for candy, and she could eat a whole bag in an hour.

His presence was much needed and even helped soothe the numbness in her being. The hole that was left by Maurice and Cree and a lot of other people in her life would never be stitched back together - but having Hoagie and the others around meant a lot.

Lately, she had been going back into that dark phase in her life. Wally had been the one that was helping her a little, but now that he wasn't as constant in her life as he was in Kuki's, she didn't know what to do.

The fact that Hoagie took some time out from playing video games or working on 2x4 technology just to cheer her up, made her even more special.

They were currently eating candy as well as working on the 2x4 technology. Even though Hoagie was the one actually working on it, he was also teaching her certain things.

"So, you've got to put this h-"

It was mid-candy eating that Abby froze, the hair at the back of her neck prickling. "Hold on," she said, cutting him off. "Numbuh 5's got a feeling that someone's watchin' her."

Hoagie raised an eyebrow, a grin on his face. "You mean you have an un _CANDY_ feeling that someone's watching you HAHAHAHA-OW!" he exclaimed when Abby slapped the back of his head with her red cap.

"Na-uh! You did not jus' say that that's the lamest line Numbuh 5's evah heard in her life!" she exclaimed, annoyed. But, despite her words, a smile adorned her face.

Hoagie groaned and frowned, rubbing his ribs. "Fine, fine! I won't say it ever again, gosh. You guys never appreciate my puns!"

"Jus' keep it to yourself, Einstein," Abby retorted, chewing on some jelly beans.

"So, Wally," Kuki yelled from behind them, obviously trying to catch their attention by speaking loudly. "Do you want to go to that new ice-cream place that's opened?" Abby and Hoagie turned to see Kuki standing near the doorway with Wally.

Wally, however, seemed to look disinterested as he glared at the ground. "Yeah, sure. Cool. New ice-cream place, woo," he said, completely monotone. Kuki's smile turned forced as she not-so-subtly kicked his shin causing him to cry out.

"OW-I mean, oh yeah, totally! Can't wait to go there, I heard it was the best ice cream place ever opened in years!" he said, forcing a grin, the corner of his lips twitching as both Kuki and Wally glanced at Abby and Hoagie, trying to be subtle. And failing.

Abby narrowed her eyes as she judged their behaviour. They were acting way too weird, but then again, it was Wally and Kuki and they were weird together all the time. She and Hoagie shrugged after sharing a suspicious look with each other.

"New ice cream place?" Hoagie piped up, curious.

Kuki casually turned her head to look at the other two members. "OH! Numbuh 2? Numbuh 5? I didn't see you guys there!" she said, with fake shock. Wally stared at Kuki as if she had indeed lost her mind but went along with it.

"Okay, wassup, girl?" Abby asked Kuki, crossing her arms and immediately cutting straight to the point. She knew something was up and Kuki looked at her alarmed.

"Huh? Nothing!" she said, waving Abby off dismissively. "Just wondering if you guys wanted to go to the new ice cream parlour? With us?" she said and then added with more emphasis, "Which includes you and Numbuh 2? _Together?"_

Wally resisted the urge to face-palm and stared at the Japanese girl with his mouth open. _If they didn't know what the plan was before, then they cruddy well knew it now!_ he thought, annoyed.

Hoagie and Abby spared a glance at each other, slightly scared and confused as to why Kuki was acting extra strange. Abby shot a questioning look at Wally who just shrugged and forced a more full grin, pretending to look innocent.

"Yeah, ya guys should come with us. I've heard it's got the best ice cream evah," Wally said.

"Uh, sure?" Abby said, cracking a smile at the two. "Numbuh 5's up for a sweet milky treat any day."

As they walked out of the treehouse and towards the new ice cream shop, Kuki waddled up beside her and leaned a little towards her, trying to whisper. "Sooooooo...do you like someone?"

Abby looked at her, her eyebrows furrowed. "Why are you askin' this question, girl?"

"Just answer the question, Numbuh 5! I mean, please?"

Abby bit her lip to stop from bursting out in disbelieving laughter. "No, Numbuh 5's pretty sure she ain't fancying anybody."

She suspiciously eyed Kuki as her face fell, looking disheartened all of a sudden. "Why you askin', Numbuh 3?" Abby asked, once again, hoping to get an answer. Now she was becoming curious.

"Oh," her face brightened up again, "nothing, really! Numbuh 2's really nice though, huh?"

"Numbuh 2?"

"Yeah! He's sweet and nice, and he'd be a good father too - what, with everything he does for Bradley!"

They walked into the ice cream shop together, all four of them, Abby still weirded out by the earlier conversation with Kuki and the eagerness on her face.

As they all ordered their ice creams, Kuki kept talking about random things with Hoagie replying; Abby added things, but only occasionally. Her mind was on other things, though. She couldn't help but wonder what Kuki and Wally were playing at.

Wally, on the other hand, was impatiently waiting for his ice cream. He tapped his fingers on the table, annoyed at the chatter of everyone around him. It was all starting to annoy him.

 _I just want my cruddy ice cream! Hurry it up, will ya?_ He thought to himself, absentmindedly.

"Can ya tell the waiter to hurry it up with my ice-cream?" Wally cut in through Kuki's and Hoagie's conversation.

They both stared at him wide-eyed, and Kuki kicked him under the table, a sharp pain shooting up his leg.

He hissed in pain but forced a shaky smile. "I mean, wow! This place looks awesome, eh?"

Kuki kicked him again, and Wally scowled at her, silently grinding his teeth together.

"What?" he spat.

Kuki looked at him pointedly before she cleared her throat and glanced at Abby and Hoagie. He followed her line of sight and his eyes fell on a certain dark-skinned girl who was chatting to Hoagie, her long eyelashes framing her dark eyes that seemed to be a shade of brown as the sun reflected against them. Wally could see her mouth moving as she replied to Hoagie, her lips forming bright, blinding smiles and his eyes narrowed.

The more he looked at her, the more his eyebrows furrowed and frustration brewed within him, a strange feeling swirling around in his mind and stomach.

"You know, I should teach you some of my jokes," Hoagie said, their conversation suddenly becoming clearer to Wally.

Abby raised an eyebrow at Hoagie. "Oh, really now? Ya think Numbuh 5 would wanna hear your lame jokes? Don't think so, boy."

He snorted in laughter. "Well, I think you're missing out on my coolness."

She rolled her eyes before slapping his shoulder, playfully, a small laugh leaving her lips. What Abby didn't realise or notice was that there was a pair of eyes scrutinising both her and Hoagie.

Wally had been glancing between Abby and Hoagie for quite a while, now. It wasn't like he could help it, he was talking to Kuki and enjoyed being around her, but his eyes automatically gravitated towards their part of the table. It was weird, hearing Abby's giggles.

"Oi Numbuh 2," Everyone turned to look at Wally, "do ya like Numbuh 5 or not?" he asked, bluntly causing the whole table to fall silent.

Abby's dark eyes slid to the side and at Hoagie with her jaw wide open. Her eyes then settled on Wally, his eyebrows raised and his lips set in a thin line as he stared at her before they slowly fixed on Hoagie's.

Wally wanted to get this matchmaking service over and done with.

 _What better way to finish this than to get Numbuh 2 to confess now?_ He said to himself. Honestly, Wally was utterly bored and just wanted to leave. He didn't want to stay in the ice cream parlour for another second.

"W-what? What are you saying, Numbuh 4?" Hoagie asked, completely shocked.

"Answer the cruddy question, will ya?"

"Why would geek boy here like Numbuh 5?" Abby spoke up, half amused half annoyed. She couldn't believe it; this entire time they were trying to set them up.

"Wally, now look at what you did!" Kuki whined. Wally ignored her and continued to look between both Abby and Hoagie in disbelief.

"Oh c'mon, you expect me to believe that!? Just kiss or somethin' already," he said, just as the ice cream arrived.

"Why?" Abby exclaimed, incredulously. "We don't even like each other, fool."

Wally raised an eyebrow, frustrated now. He apparently didn't believe her at all. "Sure you don't, Abby."

"I don't, fool!" she bit out, anger lacing her voice. Her chest tightened as Wally narrowed his sharp jade eyes at her. There was a sudden urge within her to burst out crying at that moment and to convince everyone that she really didn't like him. "I don't like Numbuh 2!"

Wally scoffed. "As if I'm gonna believe ya," he spat, bitterly.

He crossed his arms, and the table once again fell into an awkward silence. Kuki and Hoagie had no clue what had come over the two and why they were both so touchy all of a sudden.

Kuki glanced at Wally, who had his eyes hid from view, but she knew he was fuming silently. The waiter came with their ice creams but didn't place one down in front of Abby.

"Oh, uh, sorry, kid. I forgot what you ordered," he said, rubbing his neck sheepishly.

Abby let out an exasperated sigh that was mostly due to the conversation they had just seconds ago and turned to the waiter. "Can I please have a scoop of-"

"Can you please repeat that again?" the waiter asked again, fumbling with his note pad.

Abby stared up at the teenage waiter who looked beyond embarrassed. The expression melted into one of panic when Wally slammed his hands down on the table and snarled into his face.

"She wants a scoop of pistachio ice cream you dumb, cruddy teenager!"

The whole joint went silent at Wally's yell, and the members of Sector V were astounded.

"Wally," Kuki hissed, tugging on the sleeve of his sleeve. She was urging him to sit back down as he was now face to face with the waiter, his hand curled into a fist.

Abby was watching Wally with wide-eyes. Yes, she was surprised that he ordered for her as if he had read her mind, but she was more appalled at the fact that he was so mad.

The waiter shuffled away, scared and red-faced. Abby face-palmed and dragged her hand down her face.

"What's wrong with you, Wally?" she said, harshly. "Numbuh 5's glad that you ordered for her, but you can't just yell at people like that!"

"He was takin' too long!" Wally retorted. "We coulda been at the treehouse by now."

"Well, now we're probably gonna get kicked out of this joint because of you!" Abby snapped back. Wally went quiet at that and sat back, glaring, practically oozing with rage. She stared up defiantly into his angry expression with a glare of her own.

 _Why's Wally actin' more childish than normal!?_ She wondered angrily to herself.

Hoagie chuckled nervously, trying to break up the tense atmosphere. "Okaaay, then. Um, well, my ice cream is delicious!"

Kuki looked worriedly between Wally and Abby but continued to lick her rocky road ice cream. Hoagie turned to Abby, to get her to think about something else.

"Hey, Numbuh 5, guess what?"

"What?" Abby said, turning to him, her voice sounding tired.

"Where's the best place to get an ice cream?" he said, his eyes wide open with eagerness. Abby knew she was about to get hit with another horrible pun, but she wanted to entertain him; they were friends and she liked him after all.

"Where?"

Hoagie, before he even finished his pun, bit his lip to stop himself from bursting into laughter. "In _Sundae_ school! HAHAHA, get it!?"

Kuki giggled. "Good one, Numbuh 2!"

Abby let out a snicker but then covered it up with her best poker face, not wanting to boost his ego. "Numbuh 5 thinks that was horrible."

"You have a smile on your face so that's a lie. You obviously liked it, admit it!"

"Alright, alright, Numbuh 5 don't find that one too bad." Abby let a smile grace her face and she turned.

"Whaddya-" She stopped herself from asking what Wally thought about it.

 _Right. We're not talkin' for some reason._ She sighed, feeling both frustrated and upset at how things suddenly turned sour.

Wally had his head turned away, his lips twisted into an angry snarl. As the waiter rushed back with Abby's ice cream, Wally let out a sharp breath.

"H-here's your ice cream," the teen said, his eyes glancing in Wally's direction in case he burst again.

"Yeah, yeah, whatevah," Wally mumbled.

Abby nodded to the waiter in thanks and the teen took that as his cue to disappear as fast as he could. She shook her head in Wally's direction but he didn't seem to care, in his own world.

-.-.-.-

"Can you pass me the maple syrup, Numbuh 3?" Wally asked Kuki, even though it was near Abby's plate.

Kuki glanced at Abby before blinking at Wally. "But, Numbuh 5's closer to i-"

"Just gimme the cruddy syrup!"

"Okay, okay!" Kuki said, quickly grabbing the syrup and plopping it next to him. He snatched it and violently pressed the bottle, slathering the syrup all over his pancakes. "Man, who put a bee in your undies?" she added.

Wally shot her a look and she shrugged, innocently. Abby narrowed her eyes at him. He was acting way siller than usual and it was starting to get to her.

 _But if he's gonna ignore Numbuh 5, I'll do the same. Two can play at that game._

She ate her cereal quickly and dumped it into the sink before she calmly walked to the lounge room, picking up her headphones and her magazine. Abby's mind was on a particular blonde boy, though; she couldn't focus on the magazine or the music that was playing in her ears at all.

Even though she badly wanted to ignore him, she didn't think she could last very long.

Abby could hear him arriving with Kuki beside him, talking his ear off. Usually, she'd hear him reply back or complain about random things. He was silent now, not even bothering to respond.

She could feel his intent gaze on her but refused to acknowledge it. Abby wasn't usually the childish type but Wally had asked for it.

It was the same situation two days later.

They ignored each other, Abby more than Wally. The latter's anger and frustration had subsided and now he looked up at her guiltily. Abby, on the other hand, was trying not to look at him. She knew that if she did, then she'd either go off at him or forgive him.

"Numbuh 2, pass Numbuh 5 the chicken, please."

"But, Wally's closer-"

Abby shot him a similar look that Wally had shown Kuki earlier in the morning. Hoagie audibly gulped and hurriedly passed her the chicken.

Nigel placed his cutlery down with a large clutter and glared at both Abby and Wally.

"You two, cut it out, will you?! Numbuh 5, I thought you'd be wiser than Wally."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean!?" Wally interjected, hurt. Nigel ignored him, staring at Abby.

"You're second-in-command, whatever it is that you're fighting about, sort it out. And _quickly_ ," he said, emphasising the last syllable.

Abby sighed. She knew Nigel was right, but her ego was in the way. Wally was mad at her, and she didn't know why. Abby hadn't done anything wrong, so she didn't understand why she had to be the one to talk to him.

She watched as Wally chatted to Kuki as if nothing had happened and everything was fine. Her blood boiled; she was angry, mad, and there was another feeling swirling within her stomach.

 _So he's talkin' to Numbuh 3 like everything's alright, but ignoring Numbuh 5?_ She scoffed to herself.

That feeling was one she was familiar of. And now, it was very clear to her.

 _N-no, it can't be. Numbuh 5 can't feel that about...Wally and Kuki!_ She thought, shuddering. As Abby looked up gingerly, she watched as Wally shot a crooked smile in Kuki's direction and said something that made her giggle.

The sight made her stomach clench tight with raw envy, but it also brought a burning and tearing sensation in her heart. Abby shook her head quickly, trying to get rid of that thought.

 _Ridiculous,_ she spat to herself. _This is Numbuh 4, we're talkin' about, how's Numbuh 5 jealous!?_

What she didn't notice was the fact that Wally had been staring at her the past week, checking up on her and wondering if she was going to look at him. He scolded himself for being a right jerk to her, but never got the chance to apologise to her.

She always ignored him as if he had the plague - and she was usually the one that always came to support him and stood by him, no matter what.

So it hurt. A lot.

 _More than a lot. It's cruddy painful._ Wally thought bitterly, poking at his dinner before glancing at his chest. _Hurts right here, for some odd reason._

As Abby cleared up and the others went to do their respective things, Wally came up behind Abby. She turned and jumped back when she saw a pair of emerald eyes staring at her, regret pooling in them.

"What're you doing here, boy?" Abby mumbled, not really interested.

Wally hung his head, dejected at her tone. "I just wanted to talk to ya."

"Numbuh 5 don't think that's a very good idea," she said, turning away. When she went to leave, her stomach heavy, Wally stopped her.

"Look, Abby. I...I'm sorry for bein' a cruddy jerk the other day. I don't know what came over me, ya know? It was strange. I was havin' a bad day."

She sighed and looked down at her hands. Abby didn't want to give in so easily, but she wasn't the type to keep a grudge against a friend for a long time.

"Numbuh 5's sorry too. Just a lot of things on her mind."

Wally nodded. "I get ya."

"Ya do?"

He shrugged, awkwardly. "I think so?"

Abby didn't know what had gotten into her, but it was as if the ice cream incident never happened. She blurted out something that even she hadn't come to terms with yet.

"Numbuh 5...Numbuh 5 thinks she likes someone," she whispered quietly.


	9. feelings

_A/N:_

 _Thank you so much_ BoomBoxHype _for reviewing! I agree, my story (and my writing) isn't the best and honestly, it's just random things put together cos I don't really have an idea of what I'm doing but yes, I'm trying! :D Since there aren't many Wally x Abby fanfics out there, I just wanted to give them some more looovee hahaha! But, I'm so glad you think it's decent enough to read so I wanna thank you for reviewing and for supporting me! It means a lot to me :)_

 _Anyway, this chapter is unedited (like all my other chapters lmao) so read at your own risk!_

 _DISCLAIMER: I do not own Codename: KND!_

* * *

 _Chapter 9: Operation F.E.E.L.I.N.G.S_

"Ya _like_ someone?" Wally repeated in a loud scream, his brows curved and raised. Abby shushed him hurriedly.

"Would ya mind not screaming it for the whole world to hear?" she scolded him through a harsh whisper. She was starting to regret telling him about it when she wasn't all too sure either.

Her feelings were all over the place, but she did know that the tight clench in her stomach was none other than her worst enemy: jealousy.

 _And it had to be of Numbuh 4 and Numbuh 3, jus' great,_ she thought with a sigh.

Wally, meanwhile, was staring at Abby with a gaping jaw and eyes as round as lemons. He looked like he didn't know how to comprehend the situation. It was a few minutes later that a wobbly smirk came upon his face.

"So...ya _like-like_ someone, eh?"

Seeing the smirk on his face and how unbothered he was, Abby's heart tightened painfully. A part of her wanted him to show some signs of being uncomfortable, but it was obviously wishful thinking. She turned to leave - she had to get out of there and fast. "Jus' forget Numbuh 5 told ya anything."

"Wait!" When she turned slightly, he blurted out, almost insensitively, "Who do ya like?" Abby froze, her eyes widening.

 _Oh, shoot, shoot!_ She cursed to herself. _How's Numbuh 5 supposed to tell him that even she doesn't know?!_

"Numbuh 5 likes a boy."

Wally stared at her with his lips pursed, unamused and she responded with a sheepish shrug.

"Well, it's the truth, baby."

"No, yer hidin' somethin', I can tell."

"Hiding what? Are ya saying Numbuh 5 likes a girl?" Abby asked, her arms now crossed over chest. Wally jolted and began shaking his head furiously, realising his mistake.

"N-no! That ain't what I was sayin'! I meant I could tell that you don't wanna tell me."

Abby let out a sigh, fumbling with her hands. "Well, I do want to tell ya, fool. Why else would I bring it up in the first place? You told me that I could talk to ya about anything if I wanted."

It was silent for a few seconds. Abby was busy staring at her Mary-Janes that she missed the flash of frustration that crossed Wally's eyes.

"...So?"

Abby jolted to reality. "Right, uh, Numbuh 5 won't tell ya who it is, but...she will tell ya that she's givin' up."

While she talked, they slowly moved towards Abby's spacious room that seemed to represent her personality all too well. They sat on her comfy red couch, side by side, with Wally's body angled towards hers.

"Givin' up?" he repeated, confused.

"Yeah. Numbuh 5 knows this crush won't go anywhere," she said, staring down at her lap. "She's always the forgotten one. She ain't ever a choice."

Wally stared at her, his mouth wide open and unable to say a word. Abby could clearly tell that he was shocked, but a different emotion, another look that she'd never seen before, crossed his eyes and caught her off-guard. She wanted to say something but shut her mouth right after because she wasn't sure if it was just her imagination.

"Roight," he said, his voice suddenly rough and she shot him a questioning look, which he ignored. He stared at a point in the ground and said, "Well, maybe ya should tell this kid how ya feel so he knows that ya like him."

Abby shook her head frantically as she stared at him. "Are ya crazy, foo!? Numbuh 5 can't tell him that she likes him!"

"Why not?" Wally asked, innocently, looking genuinely confused.

" _Because_ ," she said, dragging her dark gaze away from his jade eyes. "It's too complicated."

Wally let out an irritated sigh at her reluctance and leaned back into the couch. Abby looked at him, calmly but internally, she was slightly disappointed at the bored look on his face.

"Is it Numbuh 2?"

The sudden question caught her off-guard and her eyebrows pulled down into a confused furrow.

"What?"

Wally scratched his head, not meeting her eyes. "Do ya like Numbuh 2?" he repeated, his voice a little quieter than before. Abby glanced down to his lap to see his fists were clenched tightly, his knuckles turning a ghastly white.

"No, it's-" she was about to tell him that it wasn't, but even though Wally wasn't the smartest, he would be able to conclude that it was probably him if he ruled out Numbuh 1 and 2.

And there was no way she was going to risk that.

"-it's no one. Don't worry 'bout it, boy. I'm not ready to tell ya."

Abby could tell Wally was getting frustrated as the minutes ticked by. "Then why'd ya say anythin' if you weren't gonna tell me?"

"Because Numbuh 5 had been thinkin' about it and I wasn't ready to admit it," she said, trying to get him to see reason. "But sayin' it aloud made Numbuh 5 realise that it was true."

Wally's tense body had relaxed and his fists slowly unclenched. He sighed and looked up, a thoughtful expression on his face. A slow smile emerged on Abby's lips as she stared at him. His eyes slid to the right as if sensing her gaze on him, and he immediately caught her gaze, causing Abby to freeze. Her body began to panic, but she shot him a crooked, shaky smile, so unlike her usual calm demeanour.

Wally didn't seem to suspect anything, only responding with a tight-lipped smile of his own. "Ya shouldn't worry 'bout it, too much. I'm sure whoever this kid is, likes ya too."

She could tell that he was just saying all that to make her feel better, but it still made her happy in some ways. Wally was someone who rarely complimented anyone, so it was a big deal.

"Thanks, Wally," Abby said, softly. "Numbuh 5 ain't sure that's true, but it sure does mean a lot."

He rolled his eyes. "Stop doubtin' yourself and just tell 'im how ya feel!"

Abby smirked. "Oh yeah? Then why don't ya tell Numbuh 3 how _you_ feel?"

Wally visibly froze at that remark.

"Cause," he said, shrugging nonchalantly though his face was the opposite. Abby could see him panicking as he was starting to fidget with his hands and feet, he was constantly swallowing, causing her to snort.

"Cos what, boy? You afraid?"

"No!" he yelled, defiantly. "I don't like Numbuh 3 like that, at all!"

Abby stared hard at him, the words that left his lips giving her slight relief even though she knew that it was nothing but a lie.

"Now you're gonna claim that she jus' owes you a 'quarter', huh? Numbuh 5 knows all your tricks, boy; you ain't foolin' nobody!"

A scoff left his lips and he shook his head, his mouth set in a thin, hard line. "I _said_ , I don't like 'er like that!"

"Sure, ya don't."

"URGH. Aren't we supposed to talk about _your_ crush, anyway?" Wally mumbled, grumpily.

Abby shrugged. "We were, but Numbuh 5 knows there ain't no point. If I'm gonna be honest, I don't know if this is an actual crush or just my imagination playin' up."

She didn't notice Wally staring at her from where he sat with his jaw clenched, his gaze unmoving before he laid down against the armrest. Abby was too focused on how ashamed she felt at having such feelings when she knew that Wally was Kuki's and Kuki was Wally's.

 _Do I even like him like that? Is it just my imagination? Am I that lonely, I'm convincin' myself I like somebody?_ Abby pondered, thoughtfully.

She hummed out loud. "Numbuh 5 don't think it's a real crush," she mumbled, mostly to herself. "And she ain't ever gonna tell him, either!"

Abby heard no movement or sound from beside her but kept talking, deeming Wally as silent probably because he was listening intently to her.

"Whaddya think, Wally? Do ya think Numbuh 5's doing the right thing?" she turned to see Wally nodding off, his head against the armrest of the couch. Abby clenched her teeth in irritation and took off her cap, slapping him repeatedly on the head.

He shot up quickly and scrunched up his face as he rubbed his head, lazily glaring at her. "What the _crud_ are ya doin'?! I was just' takin' a nap!"

"I was still talking to ya, and you fell asleep on me!"

Wally rolled his eyes. "Oh, sorry, I thought you had finished," he said, uncaringly.

"You are unbelievable!" Abby didn't know if she was mad at him or not. She knew that Wally was the last person she should be talking to about something like this, but considering Nigel and Abby barely spoke to each other anymore; Wally was now the person she trusted the most.

"Alroight, alroight, I said I was sorry," Wally said, his tone now filling with regret. Seeing how Abby refused to look at him, she felt a tug on her arm. She turned her head and stared right into his guilt-stricken face.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, this time more genuine.

Abby shrugged a kind of sadness pooling within her. "It's okay. As Numbuh 5 said, she's the forgotten one."

Wally's eyes widened. "No, it ain't that, Abby. I'm-"

"Numbuh 5's jus' kiddin', fool! It's okay," she said, adding in a smile for effect. Wally furrowed his eyebrows, looking like he didn't believe her at all. Nowadays, it seemed as if he was the only one could see through her when before, no one ever noticed. She cleared her throat. "Anyway, I should probably go to bed."

Wally let out a resigned sigh and hopped off the couch. Hands shoved into his pockets; he turned around, his eyes covered by his bangs. But she could still see his piercing green eyes, looking regretfully into hers.

"I know I ain't the smartest or the brightest kid in Sector V, but I...I do care. You're Numbuh 5, the coolest and amazingest girl I know. Any boy would be cruddy stupid not to like ya back."

Unfortunately for Abby, her heart swelled up with warmth as his kind words processed in her mind, making it harder for her to deny and push her emotions away. He shot her a small smile as she stared at him, surprised.

"Thanks, Wally," she said, finally finding her voice. "But ya do know that amazingest isn't a word."

The smile on Wally's face vanished and was replaced with a slight frown as he scowled at a chuckling Abby.

"Whatevah," he mumbled, embarrassed as his cheeks turned a slight shade of red. "I'm nevah gonna try and make ya feel bettah ever again!"

"Yeah, yeah," Abby replied, a smile on her face. There was a comfortable silence between them as they looked at each other, both eyes holding secrets and feelings that they weren't sure of themselves.

Wally looked away, studying his shoes. "So, uh, are ya evah gonna tell me who ya like?" he asked, softly, his eyes glancing up at Abby, nervously. She laughed and shook her head.

"Na-uh! You can wish and hope all ya want, there's no way that's happenin'," she said with a tiny smile. Wally grinned and shrugged.

"Foine, then. I'm gonna tease ya with every boy ya talk to!"

"Go ahead! Numbuh 5 will be ready to slap ya all the way to Antarctica if ya do."

"Pfft, ya wouldn't!"

"Try me, baby."

Wally eyed her sceptically. He wasn't sure if she would or not, but he didn't want to take the chances.

"Well, uh, never mind, then," said Wally, letting out a sheepish laugh, turning to leave.

"Wait!"

He turned, an eyebrow raised. "Yeah, what?"

"This stays between us, okay?" she said, her tone urgent as she leaned forward; her bottom lip rolled in between her teeth.

Wally shrugged. "Eh, don't worry 'bout it! I can keep a secret." The grin on his face failed to reassure her.

She, plus everyone else on the team, knew he was horrible with secrets. And it was now that she was beginning to regret ever blurting anything out.

Suddenly, a random thought hit her. "Wait, weren't ya sceptical about Numbuh 3 likin' Numbuh 1? Have ya finally realised that she doesn't?"

He stared at her weirdly for a couple of seconds, wondering where that question suddenly came from. "Uh, yup, done all that," he said after a little pause.

Abby smiled encouragingly. "And have ya told her why you were so mad at her?"

"No, why would I do that?!" he exclaimed, his eyes practically bulging out.

"Because ya like her?"

"N-no...well, I've been busy, alroight!?"

"Doing what?" Abby challenged. He scoffed and spluttered out a response.

"W-with, stuff, ya know." Seeing the victorious grin on her face, he clenched his jaw. "Ya don't need to know!"

Abby snorted and rolled her eyes. "Whatever, ya gonna have to tell her one day, might as well be now," she advised. She wanted to help him as much as she could; she wanted him to be happy whether it be with anyone.

Wally nodded his head, looking as if he wanted to stray away from the topic and awkwardly looked around. "Well, um, I should probably go to sleep."

"Probably," she replied, softly. The silence suddenly turned awkward as no one made a move to leave or do anything. The two in the room refused to look the other in the eye as the silence engulfed them.

Abby glanced at Wally who rocked back and forth on his feet, hands still in his pockets. "Numbuh 5 thought you was gonna leave?"

"R-Roight!" he exclaimed, his voice suddenly an octave higher. "Yeah...yeah! I, uh, I'm gonna leave cos ya know...I gotta get up and stuff."

He awkwardly speed-walked out of her room, and as soon as he left, Abby let out a boisterous laugh.

 _That boy's so silly sometimes,_ she thought, shaking her head with a hint of a smile on her face. She settled into the couch, mulling over the events that had occurred. Though it was painful to talk to the boy she knew she was coming to like, it was a relief to let it out.

Wally was now a friend and a confidant.

-.-.-.-.-

 _Stupid cruddy boy and stupid cruddy crushes. Who in the crud does she even like?!_ Wally thought as he laid in bed that night.

For some reason, he couldn't sleep. All he could think of was the conversation with Abby earlier that night. At first, he didn't even process what or who she was talking about, so he didn't have a reaction or an opinion.

It was only when she kept talking about it that the frustration and annoyance began to rise within him.

He wasn't as kind as Abby - sure, he was happy for her, but he was too lazy and too angry to show it. Plus, a part of him didn't care and didn't want her to be happy with whoever it was. Why he was so bipolar, even he didn't know.

 _I'm just mad cos he could be a teen! Or worse - an adult,_ he thought, shuddering. _I'm just lookin' out for her, is all._

Wally rolled around his boxing ring and clutched his hair. "ARGH, why is this buggin' me so cruddy much!?" he yelled to himself, his voice bouncing off the walls in his large room.

He was mad, particularly at the boy she liked. Abby was awesome, and yet, she thought she was the forgotten choice. So naturally, he had quickly concluded that the boy was a cruddy jerk - even more than he was.

Wally scoffed to himself. _And that's sayin' somethin',_ he thought.

He was glad that they were done 'fighting' from before, but now, he could feel himself becoming angry again. What confused him was the fact that he wasn't just mad, anymore.

He was...bothered by it. He was _upset_.

Wally shot straight up, staring wide-eyed at the wall. "No, I ain't upset!" He yelled to himself.

Instantly, his shoulders hunched as his thoughts became clouded. _I'm just mad that Abby won't tell me who she likes,_ he thought, exasperated _. I'm happy for_ 'er _, I am, but my priority is Kooks._

Even as he repeated that thought and laid back down, something nagged at the back of his mind.

-.-.-.-.-

"Oi, Numbuh 3," he whispered to her, as they sat near each other in the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. She turned to look at him, pausing from doing anything on her side of the controls.

"Yes, Wally?"

He glanced around to make sure no one was looking and leaned closer to her. Wally was going over what Abby had told him, and he wanted to prove to her that he could go through with whatever he set his mind to do.

"I-I-I, uh, I- um, wanted to tell ya somethin'. It-"

"Oh, hold on a sec, Wally!" Kuki turned and bent down to grab something from under her station. Wally was partly relieved she cut him off; unlike all the other times, he wasn't frantic or in a hurry to let her know.

Every time he was prepared to tell her, something would interrupt him. But the difference this time was that he didn't feel like he wanted or needed to tell her. That longing to express the need had gone.

He had no clue to why he wasn't feeling the tugging of his heart in his chest, or why his hands weren't clammy or sweaty. Wally shook his head.

 _I'm probably just used to bein' interrupted all the time!_ He said to himself as he waited for Kuki to turn around.

When she did, she handed him a rectangular box with wrapping paper and a pink bow. His face turned into a grimace as he stared at it.

"Pink?! Oh and lemme guess, another Rainbow Monkey?" he asked her, blankly.

She shook her head. "No! It's your birthday gift!"

"What?" he was confused. "My birthday isn't 'till December, Kuki!"

Kuki shrugged, a bright smile still on her face. "Count it as an early birthday present, then! Ooh and an early Christmas present!"

He was still flattered she got him something, but from experience, he knew not to expect much. Hesitantly, he pulled the ribbon off and ripped the wrapper away, and when it came apart, it revealed a brown teddy bear.

Wally snapped his head up to glare at Kuki who spread her arms out with a giggle. "Surprise!"

"Ya said it wasn't a Rainbow Monkey!"

"It's not! It's a teddy bear, see?"

"It's still girly," he growled under his breath. Wally then directed the glare at the teddy bear in his hands. That's when he heard the snicker from behind, and he whipped around to see Abby staring at them with a grin on her face.

"Shut up, will ya!" he yelled, and instantly, she burst into loud laughter.

"Na-uh! Numbuh 5 likes what she's seein'," she said joyously.

"Yeah, yeah whatevah," he mumbled before turning to Kuki. He forced a smile. "I ha-" seeing the puppy dog look she was giving him, he knew he wouldn't be able to insult the gift. Wally let out a sigh. "-I lurve it. Thanks."

"Yay!" He blushed when she squealed and hugged him, but it was more so because of the contact with a girl than anything else.

He was waiting for the usual sparks and how his mind would turn into nothing but mush. But, nothing of the sort happened.

 _What's happenin to me?! Feel somethin', stupid body!_ He thought angrily to himself. He tried staring at Kuki.

 _O-okay, well, uh, I like_ 'er _smile, I like_ 'er _eyes, I like ' er,_ he told himself, frantically trying to come up with as many reasons as possible. His eyes then glanced down at the teddy in his hands. "C'mon ya stupid teddy bear, help me, would ya?!" he mumbled to himself with urgency.

"Mumblin's not gonna do ya any good, Wally - you gotta actually speak to her," Abby teased, and it was then that he felt like he was going to burst into flames and he felt the sudden urge to jump out of the vehicle.

"That's-"

"Alright, Numbuh 4, enough chatting," Nigel said, standing up from his seat. He slammed his hands together and smirked. "We're here. So, let's go fighting some adult butts."

"UGH, can't it wait?! I'm in the middle of somethin' 'ere!"

Nigel snapped his head to look at Wally with wide eyes. "What? You love fighting adults, what's gotten into you?"

"Nothin'," Wally spat, scathingly.

Nigel eyed him suspiciously. "Then, come on Numbuh 4. The longer you wait, the less butt you'll be able to kick," he said, with a smirk. He then yelled, "Kids Next Door, BATTLE STATIONS!" raising his arms in the air before running out with his weapon.

As the others followed, racing out of the S.C.A.M.P.E.R, Wally took his time in getting out, raising the S.P.I.C.E.R II with no real motivation. The loud creaking and groaning caused him to slowly look up to see two familiar figures in the air.

Mr Wink and Mr Fibb had new technology now - robotic, tentacle-like arms came out from the chairs they sat on and flung around in the air, trying to attack anything in its midst.

"AHHH!" Kuki was instantly flung into the air by one of Mr Wink's and Mr Fibb's arms as soon as she made a move to attack it with her weapon, and Wally immediately sprung into action. He rushed towards her and knelt down next to her spread out body.

"Kuki! You alroight?" he helped her sit up, and she rubbed her head with a groan.

"Y-yeah, I'm okay, just a little-WALLY, LOOK OUT!"

Her scream caused him to turn his head, just in time as well, as one of the clawed robot arms went to snatch him up. Wally grabbed Kuki and rolled to the side before standing up and using S.P.I.C.E.R II on one of the arms.

It immediately began to fizz and crackle, violently swaying everywhere.

"W-woah!" Mr Fibb and Mr Wink yelled as one of the arms started to fail. "What are you doing, you pesky kid?!"

"Let go!" Abby yelled as one of the arms from behind snatched her up as she tried to race away. Abby struggled to get out, shaking and flail about, wildly.

"Abby!" Wally shouted, worried, his voice ringing in his ears. His jaw clenched and his lips pinched as Mr Fibbs and Mr Wink sneered at him from up top.

"Ha-ha! Mr Fibbs, do you not think the Kids Next Door stand no chance against us?"

"Yes, I agree with you, Mr Wink. We've already caught one of their members, but soon, we'll have them all."

Wally growled under his breath and aimed the hot sauce gun at them, even though he was nowhere near them to get a clear shot.

"Let 'er go!"

Hoagie chucked the S.C.A.M.P.P over to Wally. "This'll work better, Numbuh 4! We'll handle the other arms!" He instantly ran over to the S.C.A.M.P.E.R and brought out three S.P.I.C.E.R II guns for the rest of the members.

Wally chucked the hot sauce gun to the ground and aimed his new weapon at the arm that was gripping onto Abby tightly; it was swinging around as to stop him from shooting correctly.

"Oh, hold still ya crummy, clawed octopus!" he yelled, in irritation through gritted teeth. The others got up close and personal with the other arms that were controlled by the two adults up on top.

As they sprayed as much sauce as they could on the tentacles, they all began to give way and instantly, Mr Fibbs, and Mr Wink's chairs started to come closer to the ground.

While they were distracted, Wally fixed his target, and with a smirk, he shot, green lasers blasting through the gun and instantly frying the arm that held Abby. As soon as it shut down, the claw released a screaming Abby as she fell and, adrenaline kicking in, he ran over, arms held out in order to catch her.

She fell into his arms with a loud 'oof' and stared at Wally with wide eyes and heavy breaths. He stared down at her, worry etched across his features and as he put her down, she fixed her cap, avoiding his gaze.

"Ya alroight, Abby?" Wally asked, the tips of his ears red as he realised how frantic he had been. Abby gently smiled and nodded her head.

"Yeah. Thanks to you," she said. He stared at her for longer than he should have but immediately focused his attention over to the two adults groaning and moaning at their failure. Just as Wally went to march towards them, Abby stuck a hand out in front of his chest and turned to them, herself.

"Y'all need to get a reality check. We're the Kids Next Door, and y'all never be able to defeat us. Not in a billion years," Abby snapped before stalking over to the S.C.A.M.P.E.R.

Wally then stepped towards them with a devilish smirk and Mr Fibbs and Mr Wink gulped audibly as he raised the hot sauce gun in their faces. "Enjoy some free sauce, ya crummy losers!"

"N-no, please, have merc-" As soon as they began to talk, Wally fired the sauce all over their faces and in their mouth, causing them to scream painfully.

"IT BURRRRNS!"

-.-.-.-.-

"Well, that was certainly eventful," Nigel said, hands on his hips. "Well, we succeeded once again so well done, team! As usual."

Hoagie snorted as he read his comic. "But did you see the way Numbuh 4 got all freaked out when Numbuh 3 got attacked?"

Wally glowered at the boy sitting next to him. "I wasn't freaked out, alroight?" then under his breath, to himself mostly, said, "She wasn't the one I was worried 'bout."

Nigel sniggered at Wally's red face. "Wow, Numbuh 4, we didn't know you liked Numbuh 3 _that_ much!"

"ARGH." Wally flung down his comic in vexation and leapt off the couch. "I don't like Numbuh 3!"

"Wally and Kuki sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-"

As they began singing in the background, Wally muttered angrily, "I'm gonna go do my homework." before storming off, leaving the two laughing boys behind.

As he went into his room, he plopped down onto the ground and stared at the mountains of homework that was due soon. He blew a raspberry at it but picked up a worksheet on History and stared at it, his jaw dropping open.

"AHHHH!" His scream echoed throughout the whole treehouse, and Abby jumped just as she passed by to get some soda from the kitchen. She poked her head into his room to see Wally making paper aeroplanes with his homework.

"You alright, Wally?"

"No," he answered, shortly.

"What's wrong? Mind tellin' Numbuh 5?"

He sat up and frowned at a sheet that was lying close to him. "I don't understand any of the homework we're supposed to do for Ms Thompson! She's tryna kill me, I swear!"

Abby rolled her eyes. "You're bein' dramatic. Lemme see your homework." She sat next to him and grabbed the sheet from his hand and skimmed it over. "Oh, this isn't too bad. Do ya want Numbuh 5 to help again?"

"Really? Ya don't mind, roight?"

She was taken aback by the silly question. "Mind? Why would Numbuh 5 mind? I'd love to help ya, fool."

He shot a broad smile at her and inched closer, peering over to see the questions she was pointing at and staring at her every time she tried to explain how to answer it and the events that occurred.

What was even more surprising for him, was that he didn't focus on what she was saying at all. Wally was too busy gawking at her. He wasn't doing it deliberately; it was just something he couldn't stop.

 _Oh, crud, what am I doin'? Well...I'm only starin' cos...cos...cos she's helpin' me! I have ta look at 'er, I ain't got no choice!_ He yelled in his mind. _Ya know what, she reminds me of Kuki, that's why! Yeah...yeah, that's roight!_

The thought faltered as Abby suddenly glanced at him - but her expression hadn't changed. She continued to explain whatever it was she was talking about, but Wally didn't care too much about History.

He was too busy gazing at her curiously, his head cocked. There was something about her that he had never noticed - he had never paid attention to her personally, until now.

Things were changing between them, but he didn't know how. Or why. Or what exactly was changing. He couldn't think about it much as all his thoughts were becoming jumbled.

His eyes dilated the more he looked at her. The way her lips moved with every word she uttered, the way she reached up and placed a strand of hair that had come loose from her plait, behind her ear.

The way the light from his room cast shadows of her eyelashes on her cheeks. They were long and dark and covered her dark eyes - eyes that held strong emotions and could consume a person just with the stories that they told.

Wally, for some reason, wanted to know every secret her eyes held.

"And that's pretty much it! Numbuh 5 hopes ya got all that, though," she said, smiling at him.

 _And that smile, wow, that's somethin' rare for sure! She's...she's amazin',_ he thought, suddenly dazed. It was when Abby waved a hand in his face that he blinked and jerked back.

"Huh, what happened?" he questioned, stupidly. Abby's shoulders slumped, and she looked at him, annoyed.

"Ya weren't listenin' to Numbuh 5, were ya?"

Wally let out a sheepish laugh and rubbed the back of his neck. "I-I was! I was just...thinkin'."

 _Ugh, what am I doin'!? Abby's just a friend, and...and...and why am I starin' at her!?_ he yelled on the inside as he forced a tight-lipped smile on the outside.

Abby narrowed her eyes at him but ruffled his hair gently. "Well if ya need any more help, then don't be afraid to come to me. Numbuh 5 would be happy to help as always."

Wally snorted. "HA! Afraid? Me?! Nevah," he said, picking up the sheet she had just explained to him. He stared at it, trying to remember what she had said - but he came up blank.

He could feel her gaze on the back of his head, and he cleared his throat. "Well, uh, I know what ta write for these questions! Thanks, for helpin' Abby."

Abby, on the other hand, didn't look like she believed him at all, standing behind him with her hands on her hips. He let out an embarrassed chuckle and waved her away.

"Anyway, ya should go, I gotta go write all those answers ya told me."

"Wa-"

He shut the door on her and let out a puff of air in relief as he leaned against it. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught one of the hamsters, who helped power the treehouse, try to sneak out with his soda can and Wally turned, leaping towards it.

It jumped and took on a defensive stance, holding the pop tabs of the soda near Wally's face.

"No, I don't wanna steal the can back or anythin'! I just...need ya advice, ya know?"

"Hmf?" The hamster squeaked back, looking confused.

"Can ya tell me what I should do? I...I ain't thinkin' 'bout the person I should be thinkin' 'bout! I don't know what's goin' on." His gaze focused on the hamster, prominent lines between his eyebrows.

"Tell m-ARHGUSDAF." Before he could finish his sentence, the hamster pulled the pop tab, spraying the soda all over Wally and causing him to fall backwards. The hamster chuckled, maliciously as it scurried away.

"UGH, why you cruddy furball, come back 'ere!" he yelled as he ran after the hamster. "I was gonna be nice to ya but you just took it too far! Ya better not come back and be stealin' my sodas again, you hear?!"


	10. prom

**A/N:** Sorry for not publishing in like months! This year was hectic since it was my last year of high school but I have finished and survived my final exams and have finally graduated! This means I have plenty of time to post and whatnot :D This is unedited so please keep in mind before reading!

 **DISCLAIMER:** I do not own KND!

* * *

A couple of days later, and the team was summoned for a meeting about yet another mission. Things were okay, but Abby hadn't seen much of Wally lately, despite living in the same place as him. It confused her immensely, and she couldn't help but think that he was ignoring her.

She shook her head as Nigel addressed everyone, standing behind the podium.

"Okay, team, I have received information that there is another one of those prom's happening."

"Ugh, again?" Wally exclaimed, letting out a frustrated groan through his lips as he threw his head back. "Why do these cruddy teenagers keep havin' these prommies!?"

"You mean prom," Hoagie corrected him as he always had millions of times before.

"Yeah, that, whatevah." Wally scoffed, crossing his arms as he leaned back. "Aren't they sick of it or somethin'!?"

Abby crossed her arms and turned to address her annoyed and frustrated team member. When Wally's eyes met hers, they widened as he froze.

A second later, he snapped his head away, as if she had the plague. Trying to be subtle as possible, he shifted away from her causing Abby to frown.

She couldn't help but feel hurt at him trying to move away from her, failing to be discreet. Abby wanted to know whether or not she did something wrong. They were fine before, so it didn't make sense that all of a sudden he was being edgy around her.

 _Does Numbuh 5...smell?_ She thought, panicked.

Now she had the sudden urge to sniff herself just to make sure that that wasn't the case. Clearing her throat, she tried not to let it get to her and continued with what she was going to say.

"Well, uh," she cleared her throat, "Numbuh 5's sure they wouldn't be 'cos every year it's put on for different teens, boy. The same people don't experience it," she said, her voice tinged with a little sadness.

No one picked up on it, luckily. They all murmured in agreement - except for Wally who just grunted in acceptance, his eyes glued to his feet, hair falling in front of his face.

"Prom is still prom," Nigel announced, stroking his chin. "The prom plan last year didn't work in our favour but I have gotten word that this prom is a way for all the teens to meet up and discuss plans to destroy us kids and the Moonbase. We need to find a way inside that gymnasium and fast."

Hoagie raised a reluctant hand, his smile twitching. "Uh, what if it's just a fluke?"

"We can't take that risk - I'm 100% sure that this is a plan and we will succeed. We will suck it out of those teenagers if we have to!"

Kuki gasped, her eyebrows raised. "Numbuh 1, why would you say something like that?!"

"Because we have to take precautions, Numbuh 3. As members of the KND, it is our duty to make sure we stop whatever it is teenagers or adults are planning against us!"

The corner's of Kuki's lips arched down as she mumbled. "Well, you don't have to suck on people!"

"What?!" Nigel exclaimed, stumped. "W-w-what are you saying? I'm not sucking people, Numbuh 3, I said to suck out! And I was talking about information!"

"Oh." Kuki blinked for a few seconds before sniggering, pointing at Nigel's now irritated and embarrassed face. "You're funny, Numbuh 1."

"ARGH-just…" he pinched the bridge of his nose, taking deep breaths. "Numbuh 5, Numbuh 2, you'll go undercoveer as a teenage couple -"

"What?!" Wally screeched, cutting him off. Abby, Kuki and Hoagie all turned their heads to look at the furious blond in confusion. "Couple?! Why in the crud do they have to do that?!"

Nigel raised an eyebrow. "Why do you have a problem with that, Wally?"

At the silence, Wally snapped his head to look at the others who were all staring at him. His eyebrows furrowed as his eyes caught sight of Abby's confused one and he instantly looked away. He didn't know why he was so furious himself.

He sighed and shook his head, feeling his whole face go red. "I don't," he spat.

 _Why in the crud would they have to go in as a cruddy couple!?_ He mumbled to himself, angrily.

Nigel then continued, turning to the others. "Numbuh 2 and 5 will go in as a couple," he emphasised, glancing at a sudden grumpy Wally, "and infiltrate the plan from the inside. Numbuh 3, you can stand as the cleaner, making sure none of us get caught out, and Numbuh 4, you and I will be at the main entrance watching for any suspicious behaviour. We question anyone who looks suspicious and if anything happens, we attack, got it?"

"Aye, aye, sir," Wally responded, sarcastically, his tone completely monotone.

Nigel shot him a look before turning to address the rest of the team. "Well, guys, you all know what you have to do! So get going, team."

They all saluted him and cheered as they moved into action. Everyone except Wally.

 _I don't care! Stupid Numbuh 1 and his stupid decisions! I don't cruddy care if they're actin' like a couple! I got Kooks._ He grumbled to himself as he got up and out of the couch.

Wally shoved his hands behind his pocket as he trailed behind; the others had already scurried into the S.C.A.M.P.E.R with all the costumes for the night, ready.

"Are ya coming or not, twinkle-butt?!" Abby yelled as she poked her head out of the vehicle.

Wally looked up from the ground and frowned at the girl smiling widely at him. For some reason, seeing the million dollar smile on her face melted his anger, and instantly, his heart began to shake and his hands began to tremble in his pockets.

What the...what's happenin'?! He shuddered, shaking his head.

"You alright there, baby?"

Abby's voice tore into his thoughts and he looked up to see her staring at him, head tilted and brows bunched together in a tight, worried furrow. Without a word, he raced into the S.C.A.M.P.E.R, not wanting to talk to her in fear of having those weird feelings erupt again.

"Are you ok-"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine! Let's just go, already!" he blurted out. Hoagie stared at him, both his eyebrows raised in surprise at his sudden outburst.

The others all stared at him as if he had said something completely stupid but Wally was self-conscious.

 _Do they know I'm_ actin' _weird or somethin'!? No..no they can't. I ain't_ actin' _weird. I'm just…_ he trailed off when he glanced up from where he usually sat, and at Abby who was getting ready. His jaw dropped as his emerald eyes fixated on Abby.

Her wavy, midnight black hair was out of their usual plait and flowed down her shoulders, framing her delicate face. Abby's lips were berry red and her cheeks an innocent pink with the slight blush Kuki had applied.

 _Woah….s-s-she's beautiful,_ he thought, his brain short-circuiting.

"Uh…" He was tongue-tied as he continued to ogle her.

Abby let out an irritated sigh as she frowned, looking down at her black sparkly dress. "I look like Cree!"

"Y-y-you-" Wally was still trying to get over the shock of how beautiful she looked.

"Wow, Numbuh 5, you clean up good!" Hoagie exclaimed, smiling at her in his tux. He was wearing a simple black and white outfit, and his usual hat that he barely ever took off.

Abby laughed, amused. "Ya really think so? I feel ridiculous," she said, uncomfortable. "But dang, you look real good, too, baby."

"I do try," Hoagie said, his smile widening. "All the ladies are go-"

"Numbuh 2," Nigel warned, narrowing his eyes at him. "You are not going to this prom for the 'ladies'! This is a mission, don't forget!"

"Okay, okay!" Hoagie exclaimed, his arms raised up in surrender. "I was just joking, geez, Numbuh 1. The mission will be a success, you'll see."

"Uh..um, Numbu-I mean, Abby?" Wally spluttered and Abby turned to him with a gentle smile, looking into his eyes with her dark orbs.

"Yeah, Wally?"

He opened his mouth to reply but then froze, gaping like a fish. Kuki nudged him in the ribs with a giggle.

"Doesn't she look soooooo pretty, Wally?!"

Yeah...incredibly pretty.

"H-huh, what?"

"Are you even listening, Wally?!"

"Y-yeah! Course I am," he said, finally finding his voice.

"I said, don't you think Numbuh 5 looks preeeeeetttttty?!" She leaned in, peering into his face with a large grin.

Wally turned away, face burning, yet fingers icy cold. His eyes once again gravitated towards the girl who was animatedly chatting to Hoagie now. His heart drummed as Abby turned to look at him over her shoulder, flashing a small smile at him.

 _Crud! I still haven't told her how amazin' she looks! C'mon Wally, tell 'er, you moron!_

Just as he approached her, Hoagie landed the vehicle and the door opened, causing everyone to rush out. Nigel got up and crossed his arms as he looked at Wally.

He froze, shoulders sagging at the missed opportunity.

"Numbuh 4, what are you gawking at?! We have a plan to destroy, so come on!" Nigel ran out and Wally blinked a couple of times before coming back to reality. He looked around the vehicle to see that he was the only one in it.

Groaning aloud, he grabbed a weapon and ran after Nigel.

"Why did Kuki have ta go?" he mumbled to himself as he knelt beside Nigel.

The latter had set up a mini spy hideout behind a large bush, weapons and gadgets all ready around them. With binoculars fit into their hideout, Nigel peered through them, his mouth set in a thin line.

Wally was getting impatient, sitting beside Nigel and doing nothing. He tapped the S.Q.O.O.S.H.E.R against his knee rapidly as he bopped his leg up and down, his expression rigid.

 _Can this day not go any cruddy quicker?!_ He thought, irritated.

"ARRRRGH," Wally let out a scream as he threw his head back, "Numbuh 1, can't we just go in there and beat the crud outta those prissy teenage creeps?!"

"Quieten down, Numbuh 4! We can't expose our covers or they'll find out we're here. We have to make sure they're planning something sinister - which I'm sure they are - but we can never be too careful."

Wally exhaled noisily through pursed lips before scowling at the ground.

"You've gotta be kiddin' me," he mumbled to himself.

What was irritating him the most, was knowing Hoagie and Abby was in the prom, doing...whatever it was they were doing.

He shook his head, furiously.

 _I care about Kuki! I wonder how she's doin' in there...must be borin'._ He thought absentmindedly, trying not to think about a certain dark-skinned girl.

He chewed on his bottom lip, his fists clenched tightly unbeknownst to him. _Kuki must b-wait, are Hoagie and Abby dancin'_ togetha _? Why is no one sayin' anythin' on the com!? Crud! Have they been caught or somethin'!?_

He wanted to get in there. He wanted to be the one who was actively taking part in the mission. Not doing anything was irritating him like a pesky mosquito bite.

"Numbuh 1, come in. No one's suspected a thang," Abby said, through their ear piece. Nigel nodded, letting out a relieved sigh.

"That's good, Numbuh 5, is there any suspicious activity going on? Everything's clear outside but I'm sure there's something here...we're just not looking closely."

Abby sighed through the earpiece. "Ya know, Numbuh 1, it looks like a pretty normal prom to me. Maybe-"

"Maybe nothing! Keep a lookout on everyone, Numbuh 5!"

"Come on, Abby, look at the food table! There are so many piiiiies!" Hoagie's voice from behind screeched. Nigel facepalmed.

"Tell Numbuh 2 to stop eating and to help you with the investigation!"

"Numbuh 5's gonna try, but there's no guarantee that geek boy here will listen," Abby said, monotone.

Wally suddenly stood up, causing Nigel to jerk back. "I'm goin' in there, Numbuh 1!"

"What? Why? Numbuh 3's in there watching as the cleaner, and so are Numbuh's 2 and 5! They've got everything under control on the ins-"

"I wanna go in there, Numbuh 1." Wally ground his teeth silently, willing Nigel to let him. "Numbuh 2's not even helpin' 'er! Someone's gotta do it, and I think I can help! Please."

Nigel ran a hand down his exhausted face. "But there's not even a costume for you!"

"Doesn't Numbuh 2 have some spare costumes or somethin'?! Look, Numbuh 1, I know I can help." Wally's heart was pounding in his ears as he eagerly waited for Nigel to say something.

"Ugh, alright fine!" Nigel put a hand to his ear. "Numbuh 2, come in."

"Numbuh 1, what's up?"

"Do you have any spare costumes? Numbuh 4 can help you guys if anything goes wrong."

"Oh yeah! I have tons of co-oh wait...uh," Hoagie chuckled nervously. "On second thoughts...the only other costume I have in the S.C.A.M.P.E.R is um...a dress and a blonde wig."

"WHAT?!" Wally exclaimed, his eyes almost bulging out of his sockets.

"I didn't think we'd ever need costumes! The dress and the wig belong to a friend of Tommy's and we forgot to give it back!" Hoagie whined, trying to reason. Nigel facepalmed and glanced at Wally.

"You have no other choice, Numbuh 4. Either you stay here, or you go in there as a girl."

Wally's upper lip curled in disgust.

 _Cruddy mission._

-.-.-.-

Abby was slow dancing with Hoagie as their heads moved this way and that, trying to find anyone suspicious looking. No one was really doing much, except dancing. Girls had their heads resting on the shoulders of their partners.

This is nothing but a waste of time! Abby thought, letting out a bored sigh. Since nothing too hectic was going on, Hoagie was too busy eyeing the food table to notice anything suspicious activity.

Just when Abby was about to call in Nigel again, a scream - familiar to Kuki's - rung out in the gym.

No one really noticed because of the slow, but loud, music blaring all around.

Abby and Hoagie both snapped their heads to the side to see Kuki, well her in a cleaner's outfit, holding a broom, her jaw wide open.

There was a girl, a very short girl, talking to Kuki in a whisper. Whenever she tried to talk though, Kuki would giggle.

The girl's lips were pressed together in irritation as she stared at Kuki, arms crossed. The stance alone gave Abby doubts on who it was.

 _Could it be? But...no, that's impossible!_ Abby snorted to herself. Wally would never go to those lengths just to be in a mission.

Upon closer inspection, her long blonde hair flowed down her shoulders, a black headband keeping it in place. When she turned, her long, front bangs and face looked awfully familiar to Abby. She squinted her eyes to get a better look.

The girl's emerald eyes and furious expression reminded her an awful lot of…

Abby gasped. She couldn't deny that the girl looked exactly like Wally. And for as long as she knew him, she was pretty sure he had a brother, not a sister.

"Uh, Numbuh 2, doesn't that girl look like-"

"Numbuh 4?" Hoagie answered for her, his voice trembling as if he was trying not to laugh.

Abby nodded, her mouth dry in anticipation as she waited. "That's because it _is_ Numbuh 4, Numbuh 5."

Abby didn't know whether to laugh or feel pity for the boy. She turned to look at Wally again, only for their eyes to meet, green orbs colliding with black.

He was scowling, his jaw clenched and his face red as he stared at them.

 _Yup. Definitely Numbuh 4,_ she concluded, trying not to laugh and cry.

Soon, that feeling left as wariness etched into her eyebrows as his frown deepened into a scowl. He then tore his eyes away, his arms coming up to cross them against his chest.

Wally was already in a foul mood to be dressed up as a girl and seeing Abby and Hoagie together smiling, made things worse. Kuki had instantly recognised Wally despite being dressed up in a girly outfit and screamed at first in fear, but then began giggling.

She tried to be discreet by occasionally sweeping her broom back and forth.

It was a surprise no other teenagers had noticed but they were too busy dancing and looking at their partners with hearts in their eyes to care.

Wally snarled at Kuki who ruffled his hair. It was when he looked at them again - holding hands and dancing so close together - that his foul mood was worsened.

His lips tightened, a sour expression on his face as he scrutinised Hoagie, his eyes narrowed in on his grip on Abby's waist.

Whatever it was he was feeling, Wally really didn't like it. It left a disgusting, vile taste in his mouth. His mouth was downturned and his nostrils flared as Hoagie spun Abby around, trying to appear natural as they moved around.

 _Ugh, this is killin' me!_ And he wasn't just talking about the wedgie the dress was giving him. It was the sight of both Abby and Hoagie. He let out a sigh but froze, suddenly realising something. _Hold on a cruddy second._

His tense shoulders suddenly relaxed as his eyes trailed from Abby to Kuki and vice versa a couple of times. The latter had been chatting to him animatedly, but he wasn't listening. He hummed here and there, and he so badly wanted to pay attention but...he didn't care enough.

Wally's attention was solely focused on Abby, the girl who was currently flashing her rare smiles at Hoagie, and not him. He froze in his spot.

 _Do...I like Numbuh 5? Abby!? NO! I can't!_ I like _Kuki...roight? No...I don't even pay attention to Kuki anymore. I do like Abby! UGH... It's all this stupid, crummy prom's fault!_ He thought, his heart hammering within his chest in a panic.

"Oh, crud," he groaned loudly, running both hands down his face.

Kuki jumped before staring at him with wide eyes. Wally didn't even pay attention to her surprise, leaving a frown on her face.

"Wally, are you okay? You have to be quiet! We're on a mission, after all."

He ignored her, his eyes fixated on no one but Abby. Kuki noticed this; her eyes trailed his line of sight and immediately, her stomach dropped and her eyebrows furrowed. She glanced back at him and opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it.

She turned and subtly shuffled away, pretending to clean something on the floor, her face downturned.

Wally wasn't aware that Kuki was doubtful of his sudden attention towards Abby, as he crossed his arms, his lips curling up in a scowl. He was both mad at himself for agreeing to dress up as a girl and at the fact that he discovered he had feelings for Abby.

 _Abby!_ He thought, scornfully. The girl he'd never even thought of someone other than just a friend.

 _H-How do I get myself into these cruddy messes?!_

He looked down at himself, the frown deepening as he looked over his outfit. Wally was wearing a pink dress with puffy sleeves, accompanied with pink flats. Hoagie snorted from beside Abby and she bit her lip to stop from smiling.

 _He's not that bad looking as a girl, either!_ Abby thought, a grin blooming on her face as his eyes narrowed at her, almost as if he knew what she was thinking.

She let go of Hoagie and walked over to Wally who was seething from the sidelines. "Numbuh 5 thinks you look pretty," she teased. His rage-filled eyes instantly snapped up to look at her, and almost instantly, his face softened.

 _Crud, I can't even get mad at 'er! What's happenin' to me?!_

With a frustrated sigh, he looked away. "Laugh all ya want. I'm only here to help ya cos food boy 'ere only wants ta eat and not do anythin' else!"

Hoagie was bent over snorting and laughing at Wally but straightened up at his statement. "Hey! I was helping! It's not my fault that there's nothing going on here!"

Wally rolled his eyes and grabbed Abby's hand. "Well, ya can help from the sidelines, Numbuh 1 wants me to investigate with Ab-Numbuh 5, I mean," Wally fibbed, confidently.

Before any of the other two could say something, he dragged Abby onto the dance floor, who tried to keep up with his angry march with her heels.

"Uh, Wally?"

"What?" he spat, as he pulled her in. Considering he was slightly shorter, their position was awkward but Abby nor Wally looked like they minded.

But there was something else that she had to address.

"Isn't this kinda weird to ya?"

Wally's jaw clenched. _So she didn't mind dancin' with Numbuh 2, but she has a problem with m—_

"We're both girls slow dancin' with each other...and quite close too," Abby said with a snort, a teasing grin appearing as Wally froze, the tips of his ears and his cheeks flushing.

"Uh," he quickly pulled away. "I-I didn't think 'bout that."

Abby went to giggle. She loved it when Wally blushed and was caught off guard. It took away from any trace of violence or roughness he held and was replaced by a cute, childish innocence that suited him.

She was going to say something else when she spotted Cree standing near the punch bowl table with Maurice. The smile vanished and without a word, she walked over to the punch table casually, grabbing herself a cup and pouring some raspberry punch in it.

As she strained to hear over the music, someone - obviously none other than Wally - sauntered up beside her, copying her movements.

"Oi, ya hear anythin'?"

Abby ignored him.

"Look, we g-" Cree's voice lowered and Abby leaned in closer to hear when Wally cut in.

"Hey, Abs, ya hear anythin' or n—"

"I'm tryin' to listen to them, boy! Shut your trap for one second," Abby scolded him, without looking at him. Wally's shoulders jerked back, startled but he rolled his eyes and nodded, saying nothing else.

He sipped his drink, his heart racing as he watched her from the corner of his eyes. His cheeks turned pink as a smile adorned his face - just thinking about standing next to her was enough for him to feel giddy like a girl.

 _Ugh. A stupid girl more like,_ he said to himself.

"Uh, hey?"

A male voice from behind them caught Wally's attention. He glanced at Abby who was still busy trying to listen to Cree and Maurice, so he turned to the person himself.

Wally raised his eyebrows and crossed his arm, a frown replacing the smile on his face. "Whaddya want?"

The brunette teenager tugged at his collar, gulping audibly. "I, uh, think you're kinda cute, s-"

"WHAT?!" Wally screamed, his voice echoing off the walls.

The teenager looked at him with wide, frantic eyes as his face turned redder by the minute. Wally, on the other hand, was turning red - but not in embarrassment. Oh, no, he was furious.

"I ain't cute," he spat through gritted teeth.

The teenager shot Wally a half-smile, shrugging hesitantly. "Well, I think you are?"

Wally's lips curled upwards in disgust as he looked the guy up and down. This loser has bad taste, then. Wait...did I just cruddy insult myself? He groaned out loud and rolled his eyes.

"I ain't gonna dance with ya, so ya can leave," Wally deadpanned. The teenager looked visibly disappointed, his shoulders sagging and the corners of his mouth dropping into a deep frown.

"Not even one dance? You're actually one of the prettiest girls I've seen tonight," he said, shooting Wally a crooked smile. Wally, on the other hand, wanted nothing but to punch the guy's face in.

He growled angrily and took a menacing step forward causing the teen to step back in fear.

"Look 'ere, ya st-"

Abby shot him a pointed look and slowly, he took a deep breath in.

"-strong, cutie pie, you!" He forced a giggle. "I'd actually love ta dance." All Wally wanted to do was punch the teen at the look he was giving him.

If Wally said anything about him not being a girl, then their cover would be blown. He forced a smile - albeit, a very crooked and wobbly one - and carelessly stuck his hand out.

The teen's face erupted into a huge smile and he dragged Wally away by the hand. Wally's face looked like he wanted to barf and cry at the same time as the teen pulled him to the dance floor.

Abby snorted as Wally looked at her, his eyes pleading for her to help him. She shook her head no and he scowled at her, which only caused her to giggle.

She could see how much the dance was torturing him - the dressing up wasn't enough, but he had been asked to dance by a teenage boy too.

"So, we'll leave now, Maurice?" Abby's sister, Cree, purred. Abby jolted to reality and turned her head, eyes wide. She had completely forgotten about the mission - considering she didn't see Kuki, Hoagie or hadn't heard from Nigel, anywhere.

"Sure, Cree. Let's go."

"Tonight was soooo much fun but I am so done. I can't wait till we get home. Wanna watch a movie or somethin' when we get home?" she said, her voice dropping an octave, trying to be seductive. Abby's eyebrows furrowed.

So they ain't plannin' nothin?! She thought, annoyed. Abby pressed a hand to her ear and whispered into it.

"Hello? Come in Numbuh 1."

There was silence from the other end and what also sounded like soft snores. Abby's eyebrows furrowed.

"Oi! Numbuh 1, come in!" she whisper-yelled, causing Nigel, from the other end to yelp.

"U-uh, right, what is it Numbuh 5?! Are the teens plotting something dangerous like I had thought?!"

"No, you were wrong cos there is no plan, you dope! Cree just left with Maurice to watch movies at home and everyone else just looks like they're having a fun time!"

"Well, we can never be too sure. You can drop by your house to see if that's exactly what they're doing. And what if this is a decoy an-

Abby's voice was firm. "Numbuh 1."

"What?" He let out a sigh after a pause. "Alright, fine. I'm beat, anyway. Guys," he said, addressing the others in the earpiece, "mission's over. Let's go back to the treehouse."

Nigel always gave in after hearing Abby's don't-mess-around-with-me tone - she was wiser than him in most cases so even though he was the leader, he always took her advice and followed her plans.

"Oh thank goodness!" Hoagie exclaimed, his voice suddenly screeching through the earpiece. "My stomach's about to explooode!"

"And I'm done cleaning up after everybody! Who do these teenagers think I am, a cleaner or something?!" Kuki said, clicking her tongue in disappointment. Abby resisted the urge to snort and instead shook her head.

She turned her head to find Wally when she spotted him on the dance floor, his face a sickly green as the teenager spun him around.

Wally gagged as the teenager then pulled him in closer by the waist. He stuck his tongue out in disgust, as the guy's hands roamed all over his back.

He had had enough - Wally wanted to knock the socks out of the guy, quickly reaching up to do so with a fist when the teenager suddenly grabbed his arms and placed it around his neck, not noticing Wally's violent intentions.

Wally growled. "Will ya sto-"

"Woah, Brad, since when are you interested in ugly little girls?" The teenager 'Brad' turned as his friend came from behind.

He stared at Wally, his eyes narrowing and an icy grin on his face. At this, Wally's rage had risen to its limits and he exploded, steam practically coming out his ears and nose.

"Who're ya callin' a cruddy girl, ya stupid, prissy teenager!?" he snapped, grabbing the wig and chucking it violently on the floor. "I'm guessin' you lot are blind but guess what?! I'm a cruddy boy, ya hear?!"

Brad jumped away from Wally almost instantly, nose crinkled in disgust. "What the-"

Wally snarled, the veins in his neck practically throbbing. "And I've had enough of ya gropin' me, you disgustin' pig! C'mere!" he went to leap onto him when he was yanked back, the back of his dress tightly grasped by Abby. She shot a fake smile at the teenagers.

"Don't mind 'im, he a bit crazy. We'll be leavin' now," she said, coolly.

"Ugh, no! Let go of me, Abs! Let me at these stupid, kissy-faced teenagers, will ya!?"

"Shut up, Wally!"

He growled and began struggling in Abby's grip as she dragged him out. He couldn't stop swearing and cursing at the teenagers who were looking at them in shock as they left.

Kuki ran out with them, but then ran back in, chucking the broom at Brad, who groaned in pain.

"That's what you get for touching Wally and calling him ugly, you weirdo!"

Snickering, she ran towards the S.C.A.M.P.E.R as Nigel ushered them all in. As Hoagie sat down and flew the vehicle up in the air, Nigel turned to address Wally, hands on his hips.

"What were you thinking?! If Cree and her minions were there, they would have found out we were there and then things would have gone insanely wrong! Do you know what you could have done?!"

Wally sulked, mumbling at the ground, tugging angrily at the fabric of his dress. "Well, nothin' actually happened."

"It could have, Numbuh 4."

"Yeah, yeah," Wally let out a defeated sigh and plopped down. Abby was watching him from her spot; she was itching to take off her dress and her makeup, so she couldn't imagine how he was feeling. Plus, he had been called an ugly girl and been forced to dance with a teenage boy.

Despite feeling bad for him, she couldn't help but snigger to herself a little. In her eyes, he looked cute either way.

Oh, boy, Numbuh 5's gonna lose it soon, she thought with a half-smile.

-.-.-.-.-

"Wally?"

That night, when everyone had turned in and retreated to doing their own thing, Wally and Abby avoided each other.

Not intentionally, it had been that way because the latter hadn't seen him around after that at all. She had been getting some soda and was about to go sleep early when she spotted the blond boy sitting on the couch in silence.

At her voice, the Australian boy turned to look at her from his spot on the couch. He glanced at her and then turned away again. Abby frowned, carefully watching him as he sat, stock-still. She plopped down beside him and bumped her shoulder against his, softly in order to get his attention.

"What do ya want?"

His tone startled Abby, but she sighed. "Numbuh 5's worried about ya. You alright?"

Their eyes met, and Wally stared at her intensely, causing Abby to furrow her eyebrows. "Wally?"

He immediately let out a heavy, forced breath and turned away again. "It's nothin', I'm alroight."

"Is it cos Numbuh 1 yelled at ya?"

Wally shook his head, leaning back as the frown deepened. "No."

Abby wanted to ask him 'Then why are ya sad?' but couldn't bring herself to force him to tell her anything. She was probably the last person he'd want to talk to anyway.

She took in his features as they sat in silence: the way his blond hair flopped into his eyes messily; his button nose; his emerald eyes that seemed to be dull and sucked of its brightness.

She couldn't deny that he was handsome to her - she had never noticed him before her feelings that had come out of nowhere. But, what concerned Abby the most were Wally's eyes. There was no emotion in them and that scared her.

"Wally," her voice had dropped to a low whisper, concern dripping from them. "Numbuh 5 wants to know what's wrong."

There was a pause before he sighed. "There's nothin' wrong, Abs. I'm fine."

Abby raised a thin, delicate eyebrow, sceptical. "And you suck at lyin'. Numbuh 5 knows you're not fine. Do ya want to talk to Kuki about it if you're more comfortable with her?"

"NO!"

His yell bounced off the walls of the living room and she jumped a little, looking at him with wide eyes.

"Wally?" she whispered her eyebrows now into a deep furrow.

He glanced at her, his eyes swirling with mixed, conflicted emotions before he tore his gaze away. "It's nothin', Abby. I don't wanna talk to anyone, not even Kuki. She's...I'd rather talk to you, but I can't."

Abby tilted her head, her eyes scrutinising his figure. "What do ya mean, boy? Course you can talk to me. Numbuh 5's always here for ya."

Wally shook his head frantically, his cheeks reddening. "Not 'bout this. Look, I…" he glanced up at Abby, her dark irises gazing into his in worry. Instantly, he tore his gaze away, gulping and nervously chuckling to himself, the sound coming out as a high-pitched shriek instead.

"Wally, Numbuh 5's serious. What's goin' on in yo mind?"

His brows furrowed as his hands began to sweat and he rubbed them together. "Just cruddy angry 'bout that stupid teenager tryna touch me and all that," he said, trying to look at everything else but her.

What he didn't notice, was that Abby sat beside him, dubious of his earlier statement. It was clear to her that he was lying - she could tell something was off and that it wasn't just something to do with the teenager.

Considering his very aggressive and violent behaviour, she wouldn't be too surprised if that was the only reason for his sour mood, though.

Seeing his expression visibly turn darker, she knew he was mulling about something important and so she decided to change the subject, instead.

"Ya know, Wally, Numbuh 5 thinks you shouldn't be so angry all the time. You'll turn into a bully."

Wally snorted at this. "A bully? I ain't a bully! I only get angry at those who deserve it!"

She rolled her eyes at his smug expression. "You're a bully, Wally. Ya give wedgies to poor kids at school!"

"Well, that's…" he trailed off, his eyes trailing up to look into Abby's dark, disapproving eyes and he instantly wanted to beat himself up. "...I dunno. They just annoy me. It's not ma fault they're wedgiable!"

Abby facepalmed and let out a tiny groan. "UGH. Numbuh 5 liked ya better when Heiny took away your ferocity with that caramel. Ya were a cute crybaby," she said, unintentionally reaching out and pinching Wally's right cheek.

The resistance he was going to express died on his lips, a squeak escaping his lips instead as her fingers made contact with his skin.

It was as if time had stopped right then.

Abby looked at Wally with wide eyes, her muscles frozen and still at the same time Wally glanced up. He was seemingly in the same boat as her as his mouth was open in an 'o' shape. Slowly, his lips pressed together and his jaw clenched tightly his spine straightening.

She could hear the sharp intake of breath that he took and the way his eyes darkened but she couldn't for the life of her understand why. The gears in her mind were clearly broken as she stared back at Wally, lost in her own thoughts.

W-what is this? Numbuh 5 knows this is wrong! She yelled furiously. Though she knew in her mind that this would only make things worse for her and her friendship with Wally, she didn't move an inch.

She couldn't.

All Abby could do was get lost in his shimmering green eyes that had somehow regained its brightness. Her fingers were still touching Wally's cheek, the warmth and the softness of it causing her skin to tingle.

They held steady eye contact as the atmosphere in the room became tense. Abby opened her mouth to laugh and pretend like nothing had happened but she couldn't even bring herself to do that.

"Guys! Numbuh 4? Numbuh 5? Where are you?"

The familiar voice of Kuki nearby caused them both to jerk back, the moment gone. Wally stood up in a frenzy, running a hand through his hair before shoving his hands deep into his pockets. His whole face had gone red as he turned away, his back to Abby who stared at him with wide eyes.

Abby sat on the couch her heart hammering and echoing in her ears. Wally, on the other hand, could feel himself trembling slightly and he let out a shuddering breath just as Kuki had bounded in. He wasn't able to properly decipher the moment.

 _What in the crud was that just now? Oh, crud, why do I get myself into these messes!? She looked so beautiful, too..._

He clenched his fists tightly and his eyebrows were pulled down, low.

"Numbuh 4? Why're you making such a scary face?" asked Kuki, with a pout.

"I ain't makin' a scary face. You're just blind!" said Wally, defensively.

"I am not!"

"Yeah, you are!"

"See! You're making that scary face right now!"

"S-Shut up," he mumbled, embarrassed, feeling Abby's gaze on the side of his head. He cleared his throat, awkwardly. "Anyway, whaddya want, Kuki?"

Suddenly, the atmosphere changed as Kuki's bright smile faded and she glanced at Abby.

Wally turned to the dark-skinned girl who hopped off the couch casually, fixing her red cap and shooting a smile towards him and the Japanese girl.

His eyebrows furrowed as she coolly walked away as if nothing had happened. He considered himself to be one of the least smartest members of the team, so it confused him to why he could recognise that that clearly a moment had passed between them.

 _Did Abby not notice?...or did she feel nothin'_ _?_ She had walked off as casually as she had walked in.

 _Am I imaginin' things now?_ He asked himself, scratching his head.

He then slowly reached up to place a hand over his heart that was hammering rapidly. Wally quickly removed his hand as if he had been burned and frowned at his chest.

 _She doesn't like me, does she? She likes that other boy she talked ta me about, too much._ Wally growled under his breath. _That cruddy boy, who does he think he is?!_

"WAAALLLLY!" a whine caught his attention and he snapped his eyes to a frowning Kuki. He scrunched his brows and hunched his shoulders a little.

"What?" he snapped, irritated.

"Do you…" she bit her lip, hesitating, causing Wally to furrow his eyebrows.

"Do I, what?"

"Do you like...Numbuh 5?"


	11. sabotage

**a/n:** _short chapter because it's more of a filler? I don't know what I'm doing anymore D: I have a plan for this but I haven't been able to work on it for a while and the flow's all gone because I haven't' seen KND in a while! So gotta refresh my memory soon xx_

 _Anyway this is unedited as well :( I kinda rushed it this time._

 _ **DISCLAIMER:** I will never own KND. _

* * *

_Chapter 11: Operation S.A.B.O.T.A.G.E_

"What?!" Wally jerked back as if he had been struck by lightning and stared at Kuki who looked at him, just as shocked as him.

 _She's observant, I'll give 'er that! But...how did she know!? Did I tell 'er in ma sleep or somethin'!?_

"I was just asking, geez," she exclaimed, her eyes wide as an owl's. Wally chuckled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"R-Roight, but why would ya say somethin' like that, anyway!? How dumb can ya get?!"

"Hey, don't call me dumb! You two have just been really cosy lately, that's all," Kuki said, hmphing a little to herself as she shrugged casually.

Wally narrowed his eyes at her. He crossed his arms, slouching a little, wanting to hole himself up in his room.

"We haven't been 'cosy' or nothin'! You're just imaginin' things as always," Wally grumbled, avoiding her pointed stare.

His chest tightened and for some reason, fear began to creep up giving him a sick feeling in the stomach. He had hoped that no one really noticed him staring at Abby too much.

"Why aren't you looking at me, then, Wally, huh _huh_?" Kuki asked, a pout framing her bow-shaped lips. Wally felt the urge to run away from her scrutinising eyes - for once, she was intimidating him!

"Uh, n-no reason!" he said, chuckling as if he was trying to cover something up.

Which he guessed he was.

Kuki narrowed her eyes as she watched his face turn tomato red. "Suuuuuuuure," she said, dragging out the syllable.

Wally growled under his breath as he looked at her, furious at her doubtfulness. "Whaddya mean 'suuuuuure'!?"

"I'm just saying!" she shrugged before coughing out: "You're a bad liar."

"Oi! Who are ya callin' a bad liar?"

"You!"

"Ugh, c'mere, you-"

He leapt over his seat to grab Kuki, but before he could do anything, she jumped away and ran. He growled under his breath in frustration as he went after her. He could hear Kuki giggling and though the scowl was replaced by a silly grin, he knew things had shifted between them.

He didn't feel the same way he did before. There were no butterflies or sweaty palms when it came to thinking about Kuki or being around her.

That space was occupied by another girl.

But this time, it was a certain African-American girl that had found its way into his heart and it confused him. He had never seen her in that way before, but here he was, struggling with his weird feelings for Abby.

 _Abby._

He didn't know if he wanted to shudder or grin stupidly.

"Uh, Wally?"

He looked up to see Kuki staring at him from a fair way away, hands on her hips. She had her head tilted to one side, and he could tell that even from where he was standing that she was scrutinising him with her large, doll-like eyes.

Wally cracked a forced smile in her direction. "Yeah?"

"Aren't you gonna chase me?"

"Huh?" It was as if something had clicked in his brain because he jolted in his spot. "Oh! R-Roight, yeah!"

It was strange because even though just a few weeks ago he would have been happy that Kuki was paying attention to him again, now, he didn't feel anything.

* * *

"Numbuh 5!"

Kuki's screech caught the attention of everyone lounging around. Abby took off her headphones and raised an eyebrow in the direction of the Asian girl, bouncing up and down, a wide, almost mischievous grin on her face.

"Guess what?" she sang, hearts practically in her eyes.

"What?"

"I've set you up on a date!" she squealed, clapping her practically invisible hands. Abby's eyes widened and Wally choked on his own spit as he whipped his head in the direction of the girls.

"Date?!" He stood up, knocking over whatever gimmick Hoagie was working on causing the boy to groan.

"Hey! Wally, watch it!"

The blonde boy ignored Hoagie as his attention was focused elsewhere. Kuki raised her eyebrows and shrugged.

"Well, yeah. There's a boy that likes Numbuh 5 and he wanted me to help him, so I did!"

Abby sighed. After that fiasco with them trying to set her up with Numbuh 2, she had had enough.

"Numbuh 5 doesn't wanna date anyone."

With that, she turned back to her magazine, face unreadable. Her words contradicted what she was feeling though; her heart began to race at the thought of going out with a boy. Especially if that boy was Wally.

Abby shook her head furiously.

 _What's Numbuh 5 thinkin' about?!_ she thought, annoyed. There was no possible way that could happen. She couldn't think about him like that. He was her teammate. And besides, Wally was practically in love with Kuki, anyway.

He could never like her. Though the thought was disheartening, she crushed the feeling of disappointment down and her mind drifted to what Kuki had said. The set up didn't sound so bad.

Just the thought of someone liking her got her hopes up. She was never the first choice, after all, and maybe it was a good way to get her mind off of Wally.

Maintaining a neutral expression, she went to put her headphones back on when Kuki wrapped her arms around her neck from behind, in a tight hug.

" _Pleaaaaaseeeee_ , Numbuh 5? I promised him that you would go on a date with him!"

Abby gave her a blank stare but Kuki wasn't giving up.

"Please, please, please? For me?" She gave Abby the biggest puppy dog eyes she could manage and Abby gritted her teeth in frustration. Even she couldn't resist the look.

"Ugh, fine! Only one date. Then Numbuh 5's comin' right back here, understand?"

Kuki squealed and nodded. "YAY! I can't believe it, Numbuh 5's gonna go on a date, everyone!"

Wally found himself shaking with anger, fists clenched and green eyes narrowed from under his bangs as he watched the two girls talk in hushed whispers. He tried to take a deep breath to relax but it didn't work.

He looked around, wondering why he was the only one bothered and found that Hoagie was minding his own business, tweaking some gadgets whereas Nigel leaned back in his chair with a phone – most likely talking to Lizzie.

 _Am I the only one who's bothered by this?!_

"Seriously, no one else thinks this is a little fishy?" Wally found himself saying.

"No," they all instantly replied in unison. Wally groaned loudly in irritation.

"You're all just a bunch of cruddy noobs if you can't figure it out!"

"Figure what out? It's just a date, Wally," Kuki said, crossing her arms and staring at him as if she knew his secret. He looked away, but he wasn't ashamed of his feelings anymore.

He even stopped hanging around with Kuki a lot, too. Her hugs didn't make him feel shy and blush anymore. Nor did he want to endure the dumb girly rides for her.

Wally didn't want or need to impress Kuki because he didn't like her anymore. It was so weird how things had changed between them in a span of a few weeks.

Now, Abby was the one he liked, and he was jealous. Of whoever it was she was going to go out with.

 _Foine. Whateva. So what if I like 'er? That gives me more reasons to not let 'er go on this dumb date with a random kid!_

A smirk grew on his face as he thought of an idea. He knew exactly what to do to stop the date.

It meant sabotage.

As Abby got ready for her date, Wally waited outside the treehouse, hoping to go unnoticed. Even as she began walking down the street to wherever it was that Kuki had directed her to go, he followed her in a sly manner.

He hid behind poles and trees and bushes whenever she looked around or was about to turn back.

Wally poked his head out from behind a pole as he watched Abby approach a short, skinny boy with orange hair and freckles. He was wearing a white and blue checkered shirt tucked into khaki shorts and the Australian boy couldn't help but grimace.

The kid looked like he was going to cruddy military camp.

 _For nerds._

He snickered at his own thought but it instantly vanished as Abby began to laugh joyfully at something the dumb kid had said. It was weird because he hadn't seen her this happy in ages.

 _I don't even make 'er happy like that..._

The thought caused his jaw to clench. His eyes narrowed and he fished the slingshot that he had 'borrowed' from Hoagie, out of his pocket.

As he followed them, keeping a good distance between them, he grabbed a little stone and slung it at the kid. Wally heard him yelp and whip around, but before he could get caught, he flung himself in the bush nearby.

He held his breath. There was silence for a few seconds before he heard their footsteps retreat, again.

Wally snickered to himself and got out, tip-toeing behind them. His sabotage was going well so far but seeing them so cosy together made him sick.

It angered him.

Before he could even think, he found himself rushing over to the two when Abby was distracted. In a split second, the kid's underwear was covering most of his head. Just as Abby was turning back around, Wally threw himself back to a new hiding spot.

He was shocked at how quickly he had wedgied the kid but was also partly proud of himself. He sniggered as he watched the kid flail his arms around, causing Abby to rush to his aid. Her eyes were narrowed in suspicion as she looked around.

 _Crud, is she onto me!?_ he thought, suddenly panicking.

He hadn't thought of what he would do if he had gotten caught.

Wally bit his lip. He had to be more careful. Wedgies were something he did often so he was good at it, but Abby knew that was his thing with noobs. If he kept it up, she'd catch onto him.

He ground his teeth together, his jaw aching as he watched the two buy ice cream and exchange it with each other. Wally tried to find other ways to annoy them since the slingshot was quickly getting boring.

Abby and the dumb kid were getting annoyed and looking around but still kept hanging out with each other. It didn't stop them whatsoever. It was when they were under the bus shelter where barely anyone went that he was on high alert. He could see that the boy was leaning in to kiss her.

 _I ain't gonna let that little nerd kiss 'er!_

Before he could even blink, he had found himself sandwiched between them.

"Oh, hey guys! Didn't know you'd be 'ere too!"

Abby gave him a stare that meant she knew he was up to. He let out a short, nervous laugh.

"Why are ya on a date with this little nerd?" he pointed down at the kid who looked like he was about to cry.

"I'm not a nerd!"

Wally rolled his eyes, unfazed by his little tough act. "Sure, nerd."

"Wally," Abby hissed, grabbing the back of his hood and bringing him closer to her. "What do ya think you're doing, boy!?"

He shrugged. "I'm going home with ya."

"You know that Numbuh 5's on a d-"

Wally scowled, not wanting her to repeat the disgusting word. "Yeah, yeah I know, alroight? Yer on a date with the little nerd, I got it."

"My name's Kevin!" the little kid cried, glaring at Wally as if he was gum stuck on the back of someone's shoe.

"Oh, shuddup, will ya?"

"Would ya stop being so rude?"

"What? I ain't sayin' anythin' rude. I'm just makin' sure he's not doin' anythin' he's not supposed ta. Ya know, cos we're _kids_."

Abby facepalmed as Kevin's face turned beet red. His jaw clenched and his brown eyes that were almost flooded with tears met with Abby's charcoal ones that held worry.

She immediately grabbed Wally's ear, pinching on the fleshy area of his earlobe. He instantly yelped and batted at her hand.

"OW, OW, OW! Abby-what are ya doin'?! That cruddy hurts!"

"That's why Numbuh 5's doin' it! Now apologise to Kevin befor-"

"It's okay, Abby." Kevin shook his head. "You don't have to do that. I'll just go now."

"What?" Her grip on Wally's ear loosened and she ignored his angry grumble and the glare that he directed at her as he rubbed his now tender and sore ears.

"No, Kevin, sparklebutt over here was just being stupid! He doesn't mean anythin' he said," she glared at him, chopping him up with just her gaze as she continued, " _right_ , Wally?"

Wally reached up and flung his hood on as he slouched.

"Yeah, whateva. I didn't mean nothin' I said," he muttered in a robotic voice.

Kevin shook his head. "That doesn't sound very genuine." He sighed and then looked at Abby. "I'm sorry, Abby. You seem like a nice girl but this entire date, I've felt like there was something off. You didn't seem interested and you just weren't who I thought you were. I guess it's goodbye."

Without any further explanation, he walked off, leaving Abby to watch his retreating back. Since her back was turned to Wally, he couldn't see the expression on her face, but he knew it wasn't a good one.

Now, he felt like a downright butthead for doing what he had done. Wally winced as she turned around, anger emanating from her figure and aimed only at him.

"You."

"Look, I didn't mean ta sabotage yer da-"

"Sabotage? So you were planning to sabotage Numbuh 5's date this entire time?!"

He hung his head, his blonde bangs covering more of his face. It didn't help in covering the shame he felt on the inside though.

"I was only slingshotting the rocks 'cos I was bored," he said in a small voice.

"That was you? Boy, I bet it was you that gave that poor kid the wedgie too, huh?!" He winced.

 _Oops._

"Why, Numbuh 5's oughta-"

"I didn't mean ta, Abby! I was just..." he trailed off, not wanting to tell her the truth.

He glanced up and met Abby's gaze. Her eyes were blazing with fury as they stared into his own and he pushed down the urge to gulp in fear. She was one intimidating gal, but he knew not to take it to heart.

Except in this instance, he deserved it. He was just being dumb and he knew that, but he couldn't help it.

"Just what, Wally? You bettah speak up and tell Numbuh 5 what's goin' on, boy," she demanded, her voice barely containing the rage.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels.

"No reason. I ain't sorry though. You deserve bettah than that nerdy kid."

"His _name_ is Kevin, fool."

"No one cruddy cares," he grumbled.

"I can't believe ya! How could ya do this? Numbuh 5 thought Kevin was a good guy."

Wally's eyes slid to the side and at the girl who suddenly looked crestfallen. The anger had evidently vanished from her, the tense muscles all loose and relaxed as she stared at the ground with a frown.

He felt bad for her, but it wasn't like he wanted to comfort her. Not about Kevin, anyway. He didn't want any other disgusting boy hanging around Abby like they were her boyfriend or something!

 _Should I say somethin' noice or nah?_

He looked down at his feet.

"Sorry, Abs," he muttered.

"Numbuh 5 knows ya not sorry, Wally."

"Yer mad at me, now aren't ya?"

"What do ya think?"

"Well, whaddya want me to do?! I already apologised to ya," he said, grumpily, a frown framing his face.

"Numbuh 5 just wanna know why you were spying and sabotaging her date!"

His lips were set in a thin line and he shrugged.

 _No way am I tellin' her why I was followin' her._ _What does she take me for, an idiot or somethin'!?_

Wally scoffed.

"Fine. If you ain't gonna tell Numbuh 5, then Numbuh 5 ain't gonna talk to ya."

And she wasn't lying.

The entire way home, she refused to talk to him. Wally tried to apologise again and even begged on his knees, but she still didn't look at him. He knew that she wanted him to tell her why, but he couldn't think of a good enough excuse.

She wouldn't believe anything he would say anyway and joking about liking her would be too dangerous. He didn't want to play around with that, in case she did take it seriously.

He wasn't in the mood to be rejected when he had just figured out his feelings for her.

The hands that were in his pockets, clenched as they now walked silently to the treehouse.

Both Hoagie and Kuki appeared out of nowhere, gathering around them like hawks once they walked in.

"So, how was the date!?"

"Did you two kissy kiss?" Hoagie asked, making kissy faces at Abby who crossed her arms.

"No."

Kuki's smile disappeared. "Really?" she pouted. "What kind of lame date was _that_?!"

"Numbuh 5 didn't do nothin' because the date was _sabotaged_ by a certain someone."

She didn't really need to explain further as all eyes were on the blonde boy who had hidden further in his hood at the accusing gazes.

"What're you all lookin' at me for!?" he exclaimed. "A certain someone could be someone else!"

"We all know it's you, Wally," Hoagie replied in a monotone voice.

"Whateva," the blonde boy sulked. Kuki watched him with a small frown; she was beginning to notice his strange behaviour. And she was pretty oblivious so that was saying something.

Whenever Abby was involved, Wally was extra alert. It was the way he always acted around her, even though she didn't know why he acted the way he did most of the time.

Abby sighed. "Numbuh 5's goin' to her room to take a nap."

"Bye, Numbuh 5!" Kuki exclaimed, enthusiastically.

She watched as Abby slowly retreated to her room, glancing to the side to see Wally doing the same, not taking his green eyes off of her retreating figure.

His eyes were downturned and filled with remorse and Kuki resisted the urge to sigh. When his eyes met hers, he jolted as if he hadn't expected her to be staring at him, instantly looking away from her suspicious gaze.

Kuki leaned in closer to Hoagie.

"Do you smell something fishy, Numbuh 2?"

"Fishy?" he responded. He sniffed the air before lifting up his arm and sniffing his armpit. "Maybe it's me? I took a shower in the morning, though."

Kuki scrunched up her nose in disgust. "Ew, no! I'm talking about Wally and Numbuh 5!" she yelled. She then brought up a hand and placed it on her chin, stroking it as if she was some detective. There was a strong urge to frown, but she pushed it down; she could sense there was a shift between them as things were more friendly and kind of awkward too, but she didn't know why.

Now, things were starting to become a little more clear.

"Isn't he acting weird?" she asked. "Why did he sabotage her date?"

Hoagie shrugged as if he couldn't care less.

"Maybe he's jealous or something?" he said. Realising what he had just said, he let out a huge gasp as if he had just uncovered the biggest secret in the world.

Wally stared at the two loudly chattering amongst themselves.

"Ya do know I can hear ya guys, roight?" he said, with a vacant expression. "I'm standing roight 'ere!"

"Do you like Numbuh 5?!" Hoagie randomly yelled, his voice bouncing off the walls of the treehouse. Wally's eyes widened as large as saucers and in an instant he was on top of Hoagie, covering his mouth.

"Shut yer trap, will ya?!" Wally hissed, eyes darkening in irritation.

He waited for a few seconds, making sure that no one was coming out to check what the ruckus was about. He hoped Abby didn't hear what he had said and his heart was pounding against his chest like a racehorse just at the thought.

Kuki forced a giggle out. "Waalllyyy," she sang, rocking back on forth on her heels. "Is it true?"

He found himself shaking his head furiously. Weirdly enough, he watched as her shoulders relaxed. The smile on her face was slightly wobbly but he didn't really think too much of it. He did feel slightly bad for confusing everyone and himself about his feelings, but he was glad that he found out who they were for, exactly.

Kuki had just been a little too late.

"N-No I don't like Numbuh 5!" It was tempting to come out and tell her that he still liked Kuki - even though he didn't, anymore - just to cover things up. "We're just good friends, alroight? I sabotaged her date 'cos the kid was bad news. I didn't like 'im."

Hoagie grabbed Wally's hand and removed it from his mouth. He chuckled teasingly.

" _Suuuuuuuuure_ , just 'good friends', pfft!"

Wally glared down at the chubby boy. "I'm tellin' the truth!"

"Uh huh, and we totally believe you, right Numbuh 3?"

"Huh?" she blinked, shaking her head as if she was lost in her own world. "Oh, r-right, Numbuh 2!" she responded, her voice squeaky with what sounded like fake enthusiasm.

Wally narrowed his eyes as he glared at them both. There were a few seconds of silence after that, and when they said nothing, Wally released a breath of relief. He slid off Hoagie and stood up, going to stalk away to his room when they did the most annoying thing they could have done right then.

"Abby and Wally sitting in a tree," they both began, holding hands and swaying back and forth, "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

With a ferocious, warrior yell, Wally turned and jumped on the both of them causing them all to fall to the ground.

"I told ya to _shuddup_!"

Hoagie was laughing along with Kuki though the latter's eyes were sparkling with unshed tears. Wally, oblivious to her sad gaze aimed at him, stormed away in anger due to their teasing.

All he could think about was how, now that _they_ knew about his crush on Abby, things could only get worse.

 _Great. I'm cruddy stuffed,_ he thought with a scowl.


	12. secrets

**A/N:** _I don't know if anyone's even reading this BUT I really like writing this and the 4/5 couple so I'm gonna continue no matter what xD_

 _Btw guys, I realised I actually have no idea where I'm going with this. There was a plot at first but it's like...kind of turned out to be a set of one-shots instead ;( The 'main'/side? plot will come soon, I swear! I just like slow burn romance rather than quick, falling in love at first sight stuff anyways and then I'll add even more drama in._

 _Thanks to Nari-nee-chan for supporting this story by reviewing even though it's been so long since I last updated. It really does mean a lot! I'm surprised you actually find this entertaining though – I thought I wasn't really making much sense haha, but thank you!_

 _I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!_

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own KND sadly :(

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Operation S.E.C.R.E.T.S**

The next day, the gang was lounging about the treehouse; Hoagie was reading a 2x4 weapon manual, Wally was flipping through a Monster Truck magazine and Kuki was watching something on the television, singing along to whatever cartoon she was into at the moment.

Though, from time to time, Wally could feel the penetrating gaze of the little chubby boy sitting next to him. He had a good idea to why he was staring at him, too.

Wally grumbled under his breath.

 _Stupid Numbuh 2 and his stupid teasin',_ he thought bitterly.

It was bad enough that Kuki was acting weird afterwards for some reason, now Hoagie was too. Even though he tried to focus his eyes on the magazine in front of him, he couldn't help but glance up at the other two members who were seated further away.

Abby and Nigel sat together, discussing some information regarding their last mission. It was pretty late but Nigel was dead set on staying up late like the last time, to fix some defence mechanism for the treehouse.

Abby, on the other hand, wasn't too keen on him ruining his sleep and health over something that could be easily fixed.

"Numbuh 5 thinks you should get some sleep."

"I can't do that, Numbuh 5. Not until I've fixed this, and believe me, I will."

"I know you will, Numbuh 1, but it ain't the time! You can do this tomorrow mornin', can't you?"

"Well, I can. But I can't sleep peacefully knowing that it's still faulty. What if we're attacked in the middle of the night?" Nigel asked, his baggy, red eyes blinking up at her slowly.

Abby warily observed his exhausted face; he looked so tired that he didn't even bother fixing his glasses that had fallen to the tip of his nose.

"That only happens in TV shows and cartoons. None of that stuff is gonna happen, especially since we're all awake."

Nigel hummed in agreement. A silence settled in between them when all of a sudden he stopped working. He turned his head, his eyes sliding over to Abby.

"Uh, can I ask you a question, Numbuh 5?"

Abby raised an eyebrow. "Well, of course. What's up, baby?"

Nigel took off his glasses and rubbed at his face over and over as if mustering up the courage to say something.

"Have you ever liked someone?"

"No? Why," she peered into his guilt-stricken eyes, "do ya like someone other than Lizzie?"

"What, of course not! I like Lizzie...a lot," said Nigel, hastily putting his glasses back on, trying to hide the pink on his cheeks.

He turned back to the defence-a-ray and fumbled with the controls. "I was just asking out of curiosity."

Abby narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "You do know that your question and what we were doing are unrelated."

"So?"

"So, Numbuh 5 finds that suspicious."

Nigel looked at her all innocent, any trace of exhaustion now gone. "Suspicious? What is, Numbuh 5?"

"Don't act stupid, boy! I know you ain't just askin' out of curiosity. Now, tell Numbuh 5 the truth."

He sighed before leaning in close to Abby, licking his lips in nervous tension. The two kids were unaware that a certain blonde was closely watching their interaction, hands fisting the magazine that was long forgotten.

"Uh...you okay, Numbuh 4?"

"Yup. I'm doin' just _foine_ ," Wally hissed, mouth twisted into a snarl.

Hoagie's eyes roved over his shorter friend's slightly pink tinged face; he didn't really look fine, but he didn't want to say anything. They were good buddies and he knew the extent to which Wally's anger could reach to.

He looked like he was about to tear someone's limbs off one by one.

Hoagie wasn't dumb, either. He had been picking up that things were changing and kinda awkward, too. He had just been teasing Wally about having a crush on Abby, but now, watching him watch Nigel and Abby whisper with a scowl was confirming his suspicions.

"Hmm," he hummed aloud, eyes narrowed.

Wally ignored him and watched as Abby's eyes widened from under her cap.

"WHAT?!" she shrieked, capturing the attention of all the members, though the blonds' was already on them. "Numbuh 1, ho-"

"Shh, Numbuh 5! You have to be quiet! I don't want the others to find out about this. It's already quite embarrassing as it is," he mumbled, sourly.

"Too late," Wally yelled from behind them, not even trying to hide the bitterness in his voice. "We heard everythin'!"

"No, we didn't, Wally," Kuki said, wide-eyed, her Japanese accent giving her an added innocence. He shot her a look which she didn't pick up on and groaned when Hoagie nodded along with her.

"You're both cruddy dummies," he muttered under his breath before whisper-yelling to them, "I was lyin' so that they could tell us what they were talkin' about!"

"Ohhhhhhh!" Both Hoagie and Kuki said in unison.

"Did ya really hear us?" Abby asked, arms crossed. She had both her eyebrows up in disbelief – she didn't believe Wally for a second, it looked like.

Wally levelled her stare and put down the magazine before crossing his arms. "Maybe we did, maybe we didn't! We still deserve to know what's goin' on, roight, guys?"

"Do we, though?" Kuki asked. Wally resisted the urge to facepalm, the rage bubbling over his head. It was threatening to burst when Hoagie cut in with enthusiasm.

"Right, Numbuh 4!"

He let out a relieved sigh; at least someone was going along with it. Wally met Abby's gaze head-on.

"Did ya really, boy?"

"Course I did!"

She gave him another look and he scowled.

"What, you sayin' I'm lyin' or somethin'?"

"Numbuh 5 didn't say nothing, fool."

His face flushed a dark pink.

"W-well, um-"

"Yes, Numbuh 4?" Nigel pressed, teeth pressing down on his bottom lip in nervousness.

Wally's shoulders drooped. "Foine, ya got me. I didn't hear nothin'."

Nigel nearly hooted in relief, which was definitely way out of his character. He cleared his throat, instead and rubbed his hands together.

"Well, then, where were we?" He turned back to Abby and began to whisper again. Abby didn't even spare Wally a second glance, causing the blond to narrow his eyes in irritation.

 _Who do they think they are?! Just 'cos they're higher in command than us, pfft,_ he thought, fists clenching and unclenching.

Hoagie peered into Wally's face carefully.

"Uh, you alright, Numbuh 4?"

"Whaddya think?" he snapped. Hoagie put his arms up beside his head.

"I was just asking, geez!" He snickered at the glare the short blonde was sending him. "You're jealous of Numbuh 1 and Numbuh 5, aren't you?"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

Kuki was seated on the floor and even though the TV was on with her favourite show playing, her mind was elsewhere. She hadn't ever thought that Wally would stop being interested in her.

She didn't understand what went wrong.

Well, a part of her knew.

The misunderstanding between Wally and her caused a distance between their relationship, a distance that she didn't even know was growing until recently. The repercussions of it were plain to see.

No one had bothered to clear everything up except Abby, so she kind of knew why he had grown even closer to her than ever before.

Kuki knew that this was, in a way, her fault. She should have known that Wally would have jumped to conclusions at how close Nigel and she had gotten – they were only ever friends, though. He should have known that he was the only person she seriously liked.

No one else.

She just wanted to lead another mission like the last time, and Nigel had trouble finding another top-secret mission for her to go on. But he did, eventually and they even went on secret missions together with her as the leader when the others were busy.

That was all.

Though now thinking back onto it, she realised how easily anyone could have mistaken that and their relationship. Even she had questioned what she was doing alone with Nigel, sometimes. He was cute and all, but he was no Wally.

But if Wally was able to move on after some time...

 _Maybe I should too,_ she thought, the cheery smile on her face now nowhere to be found.

Her eyes glazed over as she watched the Rainbow Monkeys cuddle and sing. The happiness was suddenly sucked out of her and she just wanted to go to her room and cry into her Rainbow Monkey pillows. The decision to neglect Wally during that time was her fault – she didn't even fully know she was doing it, but she had.

Her crush would always only be just a crush.

Once upon a time, she was so sure of Wally's feelings for her that she could even tease him about being hugged or kissed or liked by another girl.

Now, she wasn't so sure.

"What do you think, Num-" Hoagie noticed the grim look on Kuki's face. It was unusual to see that expression on her face. She was always so darn smiley, her eyes even squinting at the joy she practically exuded out of her being. "-uh, Numbuh 3? You alright?"

"Huh?" Kuki looked up and tears shone in the light. Hoagie furrowed his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes at this but she only responded with a bright smile . "Yes, I'm fine, silly! Rainbow Monkeys always make me cry, you know that!"

Hoagie's expression didn't change, now a little frown tugging at his lips. He didn't say anything whereas Wally scoffed.

"Cryin' over a stupid TV show. What a load of junk," he muttered under his breath. Kuki grinned.

His angry muttering was one thing, but he would always watch the show with her anyway. He would endure it for her and that was one of the many things she admired about him.

Kuki didn't want to sit around them as Hoagie teased Wally in the background, though. Even though she hoped this wasn't the case, Wally seemed interested in Abby and that thought alone caused a little frown on her lips.

She loved Abby like her older sister and if she had to give up Wally to anyone, she'd rather it be to someone as wise and as loyal as Abby. However, the thought was so unlikely to her. If she knew Wally as much as she thought she would, Abby was the last person he would like because they had a friendly relationship.

It was very platonic.

Or, that's what Kuki had thought.

She let out a tiny sigh. _Things have changed too much...so maybe their relationship has, too._ she thought, her teeth digging into her pouty pink lips.

Thinking so hard was making her brain hurt; she just wanted to sing along with her favourite TV show, but here she was, acting like a teenager for the first time ever.

So, to distract herself, she forced herself to skip over to the other two in the corner. Overhearing their conversation about sleep deprivation, she jumped right in.

####

Abby looked up just in time to see Kuki's bright smile in view. But it slowly dimmed as she glanced at Nigel's dull face.

"Numbuh 5's right, Numbuh 1." She gasped at him. "You look horrible!"

Nigel shot her a look. "Thanks, Numbuh 3."

Kuki let out a giggle, though it sounded a little forced. Abby resisted the urge to question her and ask if she was alright.

She didn't want to put her on the spot or nothin', so she remained quiet.

"I didn't mean it like that, silly!"

"I know what you meant, Numbuh 3."

"Numbuh 3's right, though," Abby pitched in. "You look horrible, boy; getting some sleep should fix that, right Numbuh 3?"

"That's right!"

Both Abby and Kuki shot a look at the bald kid who hung back his head in a groan.

"Alright, alright, _fine_. Geez, I'll go get some sleep if it means you two will get off my back." As he dragged himself to his room, mumbling, he turned back around. "Happy, now?"

"Not until ya get in bed and doze off, baby." Abby crossed her arms as he rolled his eyes.

"Fine." As he reached his door, he stopped and turned around. "And don't forget about the plan, Numbuh 5. It is _very_ important."

Abby rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah I won't. Now get some sleep."

Nigel nodded his head and shut his door. Kuki's eyes widened, looking slightly offended.

"Ooh, what plan, Numbuh 5?! Tell me, tell me, tell me!"

"No can do, Numbuh 3. Numbuh 1 wants this to be top secret."

"Awwww, but I wanna know!"

"We'll tell you afterwards."

"Don't bother, Kuki!" a thick Australian accented boy spat from across the couch. Abby's eyes shifted to where the two boys were seated. Wally looked downright grumpy with his arms crossed. His mouth twisted back into a snarl, his lips pulled tight over the wall of his teeth. "They're lyin' to ya, ya know! They won't tell ya!"

"Numbuh 5 said they will after the top secret mission."

" _Numbuh 5's_ just sayin' that to get you off 'er back!"

Abby stared at him, trying not to snicker at the expression he had on. Even though he looked serious and tense, was partly amused. He was so immature sometimes and acted rashly before even thinking through things. This attitude was what got him in trouble sometimes, and it meant that she was the one that had to save him.

It was strange how different they were and yet, she was still drawn to him.

She had fallen for the childish person ever.

 _Gurl, get yo mind outta the gutter,_ she scolded herself. She wanted to slap herself at the thought, but she knew it wasn't like she had a choice.

The heart wanted what it wanted, but it wasn't like it could ever get it. That thought alone was enough to bring down Abby's whole mood.

Trying to not let it get to her, she turned to Kuki who suddenly looked like she was about to cry.

"Look, Numbuh 3, don't listen to Mr Grouchy Pants over there. He ain't nothin' but a fool."

"Oi!"

Both girls ignored the red-faced boy. Kuki giggled as she continued. "Trust Numbuh 5 when she says that you'll be the first to know 'bout this mission."

"Yay!" Kuki exclaimed, pulling her into a tight hug. Abby smiled to herself happily and hugged her back.

As they pulled away, Abby glanced over her shoulder afterwards to see that Wally was staring at her; she assumed it was her, anyway, she couldn't really see his eyes because it was hidden underneath a curtain of sunny hair.

Then, her eyes drifted to the person standing near her. She was humming to herself as she skipped back to the couch when all of a sudden, it clicked.

Wally wasn't staring at _her. H_ e was staring at _Kuki_.

 _Of course he' starin' at her, ya fool,_ she thought to herself, wanting to facepalm. _He likes her!_ _The whole of KND knows this!_

Even though she was one of the smartest in Sector V, she sure had her dumb moments, too.

However, the discomfort in her chest never ceased. It was unlike anything she had ever felt in her life, too. It throbbed furiously and painfully as if someone had reached in and was squeezing her heart, refusing to let go.

She wanted it to stop.

Abby turned away with a sigh, wishing for Nigel to wake up soon so she had something to take her mind off how miserable she really was.


	13. helpless

_Thank you **demongurl111** for leaving a review! And yeah I agree - it's incredibly difficult to find a 4x5 fanfic D: It really upsets me because they're both my fave aside from Chad. I'm so tired of scrolling through pages and pages of just 3x4 -_- so that's why I decided to do this even though it doesn't really have a plot lol._

 _### means time skip and change of POV's as well. Sorry if it's confusing - I'm confusing myself too lol._

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own KND.

* * *

 **Chapter 1** **3** **: Operation** **H.E.L.P.L.E.S.S**

After a few hours, Nigel had finally woken up. He looked active and much more refreshed than the tired, droopy Nigel from a couple of hours ago.

Abby was in the kitchen making some sandwiches when he had come down. Fixing his glasses, he cleared his throat.

"Ready, Numbuh 5?"

She wasn't. Not entirely.

A part of her wanted Wally to know what was happening so he could be jealous, and the other part of her wanted to slap the other half for being so childish. That wasn't the kind of girl Abby was.

She was well aware that those feelings of jealousy would never be directed at her, anyway. It was and always would be Kuki. She was practically the love of his life, and always had been.

There was no reason for things to change now.

"Sure, let's do this, baby." She shoved one of the small, triangular sandwiches in her mouth before following Nigel. They went to hurry past the other team members who were busy doing their own thing, but they immediately turned their heads when the two appeared.

"Well, uh, team, Numbuh 5 and I are going to head out. We have a top secret mission so do not, I repeat, do not tell _anyone_ about this."

He went to leave when he stopped. "And no spying!"

The three kids nodded their head in obedience. Hoagie saluted them with two fingers.

"Aye, aye, Numbuh 1! Be careful out there, guys."

"Bye, guys! Have fun!" Kuki called out.

Nigel resisted the urge to facepalm and rushed out of the treehouse with Abby following close behind.

###

Hoagie looked at his watch before letting out a sigh.

"Say, where do you think Numbuh 1 and Numbuh 5 went?"

"Didn't ya hear? They have their top secret stupid mission or somethin'," Wally mumbled.

"I know but don't you think it's a little weird? The top-secret mission came out of nowhere. Numbuh 1 didn't talk about a mission like that until yesterday."

"Plus, it's been _hours!_ " Kuki complained from her seat on the floor.

"So?"

"So...what if they're lying?"

Wally straightened up at that.

 _Lyin'? Ta do what?_ he thought, suddenly curious.

"Huh."

"Eh, it's probably nothing, though." Hoagie shrugged. "I'm gonna go work on tweaking some tech."

As he left the room, Wally sighed and grumbled some nonsense under his breath. He was itching to find out what Nigel and Abby were up to – not because of Abby or anything, but because he wanted to be a part of the top-secret mission, too.

And Hoagie was right. There was no mention of the dumb, cruddy mission before, so it _had_ to be a lie.

All of a sudden, he was suddenly poked in the ribs by the Japanese girl now in Hoagie's spot.

"Ow," he hissed rubbing his aching side with a glare aimed at her, "What was that for!?"

"For not saying bye to Numbuh 5 and Numbuh 1!"

"That was ages ago! An' it's not like they're gonna be gone forevah or anythin'."

"Well, you never know," she said, with a shrug. "We don't know what they're doing, Wally. It could be dangerous!"

"Yeah, yeah whatevah," he replied with a stony indifference though it failed to convince even himself. Her sentence brought chills down his spine, fearing for Abby than anything. It made him want to leave the treehouse and track them both down to see if they were okay.

To get his mind off of things, he turned to Kuki who had been staring at him with a wide smile.

"Do ya wanna go somewhere or somethin'? I'm bored."

"Yay! I know just the plac-"

"Please don' say ya wanna go to that dumb Rainbow Monkey theme park, 'cos if ya do, then I ain't comin'."

"No, silly! We're gonna go someplace even better!"

###

Abby was holding hands with Nigel and it was beyond awkward. She didn't even want to go along with the silly plan in the first place because she knew it would only end in disaster.

But it wasn't like she really had a choice. Nigel was one of her best friends, and she couldn't say no.

As the 'date' went on, she felt herself suffocating, though. They couldn't even look each other in the eye as they walked passed an amusement park Lizzie usually went to. Even though Nigel claimed she would be there, there was no sight of her.

Abby resisted the urge to sigh; she just wanted to go home and chill on her couch as she read a magazine.

It would take her mind off of Wally, the boy who was always on her mind nowadays.

"Well," Nigel began awkwardly, "since Lizzie isn't here at the moment, wanna go on a ride?"

She was startled out of her thoughts and turned to Nigel with an eyebrow raised. He smiled sheepishly with a shrug.

"Boy, you have got to be kiddin' me," she muttered under his breath. She sighed. "I mean, sure, why not?"

So, that's what they did. Even though her heart wasn't fully into it, after a few rides, she found herself enjoying the time spent with Nigel.

Sure, he wasn't Wally, but he was still fun. He was still her friend.

"Man, that was awesome!" she exclaimed, feeling energised and wanting to go on more rides. Nigel held his head in his hands.

"Uh, I think I'm going to be sick," he mumbled as he plopped down on a bench nearby.

"You alright, Numbuh 1?"

"I will be in a little while."

She chuckled and took a seat next to him.

"You were screaming like a girl, you know that?"

"I was not!"

"Was too. Numbuh 5 could hear everythang."

Nigel mumbled grumpily under his breath but a slow smile curved his lips nevertheless. She found herself grinning at him.

The fake date wasn't as bad as it was in the beginning. The awkwardness had dissipated into something more comfortable, now that they were going on rides as friends and not as a 'couple'.

"Would you like some cotton candy, Num-I mean Abby?"

She blinked, partly shocked at his use of her given name. The only other person who used it was Wally - not that he was doing it anymore. "No, it's alright, boy. You ain't feelin' your best so keep restin'."

"I'm quite alright, now Abby. I just needed a moment to sit down and relax. So, how about that cotton candy?"

Abby was startled once again. He was being a gentleman. Nigel was always a gentleman, she knew that, but it was weird that he was acting how a boyfriend would. It made her feel special, even if it was fake.

"Uh, in that case, sure thang."

A few minutes later whilst Abby was waiting for Nigel to come back, two familiar faces came into view.

"Numbuh 5?" Kuki said with wide eyes. "What are you doing here? Where's Numbuh 1?"

"Yeah, I thought ya two were on a 'top secret mission' or somethin'," Wally said in an accusing tone, his eyes narrowed.

 _Shoot!_ Abby thought, trying to figure out what to say. Nigel didn't want her to tell them because he knew they would never let him live it down. The oh so serious Nigel trying to make Lizzie jealous by taking Abby out on a date?

He would be a laughing stock!

Abby shook her head as if to get rid of her thoughts. She looked up at the two, one patiently waiting and the other looking like he would burst in flames any second.

He was oddly quiet though, his shoulders slumped and hands buried deep into the kangaroo pouch of his rich orange hoodie.

"Uh, we finished the top-secret mission ages ago. We just stopped by to treat ourselves to some cotton candy."

"Ooh, really? I want some cotton candy, too!"

"I don't," Wally deadpanned. Kuki tugged on his arm.

"Come on, Wally, pleeeeaaaseeee?! I want some!"

"Okay, okay, foine, geez." Abby waited for him to glance at her, but he didn't. It was as if he was deliberately avoiding her for something. He just walked off with his head down.

 _Why's he actin' so weird?_ she thought, eyebrows furrowed.

"So, um, what're you two doing here?"

Kuki shrugged. "Wally said he wanted to go out and asked me if I wanted to come with!"

 _So they're on a date…she_ thought, with an internal sigh.

Abby forced herself to smile. "Oh...Numbuh 5 thinks that sounds great."

Kuki giggled. "Yeah, I know! Ooh, by the way, Numbuh 5, it kinda looks like you're on a date with Numbuh 1."

"What?! N-no!"

"I'm just joking, silly!"

"O-oh."

Abby's heart pounded against her ribcage and she gulped. It really wasn't a big deal, but she felt like she was being caught doing something she wasn't supposed to be doing.

Like drinking soda even though she was underage.

She could feel the sweat practically gathering in her red cap and she took it off to wipe at her forehead and smooth down her hair. Abby watched as Nigel appeared with cotton candy in hand, walking stiffly beside Wally who looked as furious as ever.

Or at least, from what she could tell from the snarl on his mouth anyway. His eyes were partly hidden but she could see the venomous shine in his emeralds. As the boys handed the sugary treat to the girls, an overwhelming, tense silence engulfed them.

Though, Kuki seemed to be as oblivious as ever, eating her cotton candy happily as she gazed around the park.

"So," Wally spat, eyes fixed on a certain dark-skinned beauty, "you two on a date, now are ya?"

Nigel spoke this time.

"I told you, Numbuh 4, we just came by to relax a little before we continue on our mission."

Abby wanted to smack him. They had both given completely different stories; Wally wasn't the brightest but he wasn't stupid. His green eyes glanced pointedly at her as if he hadn't believed a word she had said.

And she didn't blame him.

"Oh reeeally?" he started, sarcastically with a frown. "Well, that ain't what Numbuh 5 told us, eh Kuki?"

Kuki just looked between the two with raised eyebrows.

Nigel whipped his head in Abby's direction and their eyes met. Both of them were at a loss of what to say. They were already caught and lying would only make it worse so, helplessly, she shrugged. She watched as Nigel's shoulders slumped.

"Oh, alright, I guess I'll just tell you the truth," he muttered.

"Ya darn right ya do."

"We're on a date-"

"I knew it!" The blond cried out, a fixed glare now aimed at Abby. "I can't cruddy believe ya-"

"-a _fake_ date, Numbuh 4." Nigel shot him a look.

"Oh."

"Fake?" Kuki questioned, tilting her head.

"Lizzie and I had a fight because she was flirting with another boy. Her excuse was that she thought he was me! Can you believe that!?"

As Nigel began to rant, the other three shared confused glances before they started to snicker.

"Man, you're whipped!" Wally commented with a grin.

Nigel shot him a glare. "Oh, shut up. Not like you're any better."

Wally stiffened, his face turning beet red. "W-what!? Whaddya say!?"

Abby's mouth twisted into a bitter smile as she watched. Everyone knew about his crush on Kuki and how flustered and easily aggravated he became when another boy hit on her. It was easy to tease him about it because he always got annoyed.

She wished someone felt that way about her, the way Wally felt about Kuki.

"Oi, Numbuh 5."

She hadn't even realised that during all the weirdness going on between them, Wally had stopped calling her Abby and was referring to her as Numbuh 5 again. She didn't know what had brought the change but a part of her didn't like it.

The other part was relieved because the others would question it...at least, that's what she thought. Only Kuki and Wally referred to each other by their given names. That's how it always was and always will be.

It looked like things were going back to the way they used to be, and Abby didn't know if she liked it or not.

She looked up at the person who called her name and saw Wally staring at her fixedly.

"What, boy?"

"You comin' on the rides, or what?"

Abby looked around to see Kuki and Nigel had already left, leaving only Wally and herself behind.

She shook her head, softly. "Nah, Numbuh 5's good."

"Come on, Wally, let's goooooo on the rides!" Kuki yelled from her place in a line a little ways away from where they were standing.

His blonde bangs flopped forward. It hid his confused emerald eyes as he debated on whether to go or not to go, peeking at Abby from under his hair occasionally. That look gave her a little bit of hope. Hope that maybe...just _maybe_ he'd stay behind for her. But just then, he reluctantly turned and walked over to Kuki.

She didn't even realise that her shoulders were tense in anticipation until they slumped slowly in disappointment. For a split second, she had thought and expected that he would choose her over Kuki.

Abby resisted the urge to scoff at her immature thoughts. Wally would always choose Kuki, there was no doubt about that. She was a fool if she truly thought otherwise.

She watched as Nigel came over and sat next to her with a loud sigh.

"So much for keeping this a secret."

Abby said nothing, only handing the rest of the cotton candy over to Nigel who took it without a word. She let her eyes roam around the park but it immediately stopped on a familiar figure.

Lizzie was by herself, sitting at a nearby table looking around as well. Her eyes met Abby's before glancing at the person sitting beside her.

 _Well, what a coincidence,_ she thought, her eyes wide. _But wow, Numbuh 1 called it! The girl's actually here!_

Abby could tell in the way her face scrunched up and flushed a deep scarlet though, that they were in deep trouble.

Or at least Nigel was, anyway.

"Uh, Numbuh 1?"

"Yes?"

"Lizzie's here and Numbuh 5's got a bad feelin' about this," she muttered as Lizzie stormed over to them. Nigel let out a strangled gasp as the girl with glasses stood before them with her arms crossed.

Her eyes narrowed into vicious slits and she jutted her hip out.

"And what do _you_ think you're doing?" she demanded, glaring daggers at Abby.

Just when Abby went to open her mouth, Nigel jumped in.

"We're on a date, Lizzie," he said, smugly. Abby wanted to smack the bald kid upside his head. He was only going to make things worse.

Lizzie looked like she was about to explode.

"But _I'm_ your girlfriend!"

"Really? You weren't acting like my girlfriend when you were flirting with another boy!"

"Because I thought he was you!"

"Do you really expect me to believe that?!"

Abby stared blankly ahead at nothing, in particular, wanting to roll her eyes at the immaturity of both of them.

"Will you both shut yo trap?! Lizzie, Numbuh 1's just bein' a fool; we're not on a date, we're pretending because he wanted to make you jealous. You're the only one he likes."

Lizzie gaped at a blushing Nigel and a manic giggle left her lips, accompanied by a snort.

"Awwww, is that true Nigieeee?" she drawled out the vowels, batting her eyelashes as she did so. It was as if their mini spat from before didn't even happen.

Abby raised her eyebrows as Nigel rubbed the back of his neck, sheepishly.

"Uh, yea—woah!"

Before he could finish his sentence, he was engulfed into a tight hug by Lizzie.

"I'll never ever mistake you for another boy ever, my Nigie poo!"

"Uh...heh."

Nigel smiled to himself but then looked away at the teasing look that Abby was shooting him. He cleared his throat and tried to push Lizzie away and Abby resisted the urge to snicker at the situation.

It was cute but also sickening at the same time.

As Lizzie took Nigel - and the cotton candy - away, Abby was left alone. Kuki and Wally were doing their own thing and so without saying anything, she slowly got up and left.

There was no point in her being there anymore.

 _Mission accomplished,_ she thought with an unsatisfied sigh.

She walked down the lane leading back to their treehouse when she glanced over at the Romantic Burger. Though she had never wanted to, for some reason, seeing all the couples around she wanted to go in there, too.

Before she could even think, she had found herself walking in. It was too lovey-dovey for her taste but she had to appreciate the work that was put into it. As she had expected and the name had hinted, there were only couples in there.

It was too disgusting to see all the PDA so she turned to leave when her eyes caught sight of Chad – also known as ex Numbuh 274 who betrayed the KND – sitting alone on a table, sipping a milkshake and lost in thought. He didn't look menacing this time; his lips were spread into a grim line and his eyes held a dim light.

Abby was still on full-alert, though. She shook her head to try and stop herself from getting curious or feeling bad in any way. Her eyes narrowed as she took a look around.

 _Why's he here of all places?_ she thought, stomach churning in suspicion.

She had no weapon on her at the moment but she marched right up to him, anyway. Crossing her arms, she cleared her throat.

His blue eyes dragged themselves away from the window and up at her. As realisation settled in, the troubled expression from before vanished and was replaced with a smirk.

He leaned back, raising an eyebrow. "Well, if it isn't a Kids Next Dork."

"What are ya doing here, Chad?" she spat with disgust. "Holdin' another one of your secret meetings with faulty plans to destroy the Kids Next Door?"

He snorted cruelly. "I could ask you the same thing, kid. This is a restaurant for _couples_. I don't see anyone cosy-ing up to you anytime soon. Or ever for that matter."

That got her blood boiling. She might be young but that didn't mean she was incapable of love.

She slammed her hands down onto the table with a bam causing the table to rattle and aggressively shoved her face right in front of him, scowling. It did little to deter Chad whose smirk only widened, eyes flashing with amusement.

"Hit a nerve there, did I?"

"You hit nothin', Chad. Numbuh 5, on the other hand, is gonna be _hittin_ ' your face in!"

He leaned in further, his gaze searching her face. "Well, I'd like to see you try."

Their noses were inches away now, Abby's eyes darkly piercing his crystal blue ones with a deadly glare.

"Uh, what are you guys doing?"

A familiar voice floated through the air causing her to jump back. Whipping around, Abby watched as Kuki's eyes widened and Wally's jaw dropped open at the scene before them.

"What in the crud were ya doin', Numbuh 5?! Were you kissin' that cruddy traitor!?"

Abby nearly vomited in her mouth.

"What are you talkin' about, boy?! Numbuh 5 wasn't kissin' nobody!"

"It really looked like you were kissing Chad, Numbuh 5."

"Numbuh 5 said she wasn't kissin' nobody!"

"But we saw you!"

At that moment she wanted to slap Kuki senseless but instead settled on a groan as she let her head fall into her hands.

Chad snickered from behind her.

"You lame dorks really think I would be kissing _her_?"

Wally's mouth pulled back into a vicious snarl, lips pulling against his teeth. He looked like he was just about ready to jump on him and punch the socks out of him, if not for Kuki holding his sleeve tightly.

"Why should we believe anythin' ya cruddy tell us, huh? You're nothin' but a lousy rat."

Chad just shrugged. "You don't have to believe anything I say. You're too dumb to understand anyway."

Wally growled and took a menacing step forward.

"Why, I oughta-"

Before he could do or say anything, he was pulled back by Kuki yet again.

"Let's just go to another restaurant and give them some space, Wally."

"Wait, Numbuh 3-" Abby tried to stop them but Kuki was already out the door. Just before Wally left, he turned to look at her.

It was a look that she had never received from him before.

A look of utter... _disappointment_.

"Ya coulda picked anyone...anyone but Chad." He shook his head, letting his blond bangs flop about. His irises were covered by the curtain of his hair, disappointment and heartbreak also hidden from clear view. "I never pegged ya to be the type to fall for a cruddy teenager, let alone a traitor like 'im. I thought ya were different."

With his head hung down low, he placed a hand on the doorknob. Before he left, he added, "I guess I was wrong."

Abby didn't know what to think as he left; the gears in her head were rapidly turning. She wanted to run after them and clear up the misunderstanding but at the same time, she wanted to let them go. To make up stories on their own. They could believe whatever they wanted to, it wasn't her place to do anything.

 _She_ knew what she was doing and that was all that mattered. However, the thought of Wally thinking that way about her...she didn't like it.

That look he gave her was still etched in her mind, like a record that kept playing over and over without stopping.

A heavy feeling hung over her heart and she swallowed, hard.

"Woah, that was dramatic."

Abby pulled a long face. She had forgotten that Chad was there, witnessing it all.

"Whatevah. Numbuh 5's leavin'."

"Wait-"

She turned to look over her shoulder at Chad. He was smirking widely.

"Maybe we should give your dorky teammates what they want and kiss," he teased with a snicker. "What do you say?"

That day ended with Chad practically taking a bath in his milkshake. Suffice to say, Abby left the place feeling completely satisfied and with a smirk of her own on her face.

 _And that was for messin' with Numbuh 5,_ she thought with a snicker.

###

"Wally, give it back!"

"No way, come and get it if you really want it!"

"Give it back!"

"I said no!"

Kuki stomped her foot, even though her eyes glinted with pure enjoyment. Wally, on the other hand, wasn't as happy.

He enjoyed spending time with Kuki but their conversations only revolved around Rainbow Monkeys, her sister and other girly girl stuff. There was only so much a guy could take. When he used to like her, he tolerated it all for her.

But now that he didn't...he didn't want to endure any of it if he didn't need to.

Besides, his mind was completely taken over by another girl.

A girl named Abigail Lincoln.

She was completely avoiding him, too.

Well, technically he was avoiding her. Not because he didn't like her or anything; he was completely whipped.

Just...he couldn't handle the fact that she had been hiding the fact that the so-called secret mission was to go on a date with Nigel.

It was fake but still, it was a date.

On top of that, she had been kissin' that stupid traitor Chad and lied to their faces. She wasn't the Abby he knew and that annoyed him. He shuddered in disgust at the scene of Abby and Chad together, a scowl taking over his features.

His hold on the Rainbow Monkey that he had stolen from Kuki, tightened dangerously just at the revolting thought of them two cosy-ing up together.

 _If I evah see 'im again, I'm gonna beat the crud out of that st-_

Kuki gasped, breaking into his thoughts.

"Wally, you're hurting Mr Munchkins!"

"Huh?" He looked down. "Oh. Sorry, Kooks."

She reached out and tried to grab it from his grasp but he yanked it back. He wasn't sure what exactly happened, but in the next moment, Kuki was squealing as she slammed against him and they were both plunging towards the hard, wooden floor.

They both hit the ground with a loud thump, her on top of him. Wally could feel the back of his head throbbing painfully and he reached up and behind his head, only to feel a small lump.

He cringed in pain before looking up into Kuki's dark eyes. A slight blush took over the apple of her fair cheeks and she bit down shyly on her lower lip.

All thoughts vanished as he realised what had happened. He stared up at her with his mouth agape, not sure of what to do or say. If this was two months ago, he would have blushed furiously and probably even gathered the courage to lean up and kiss her.

But things had changed too much for him to feel what he used to for Kuki.

He could feel his face heating up and travelling down to his neck. Not because he was excited at the situation they had found themselves in, but more so due to the embarrassment.

"Uh, Kuki, could ya-"

"Woah!" Abby's exclamation caused both Wally and Kuki to simultaneously turn their heads in her direction. "Numbuh 5 didn't mean to interrupt ya love birds."

"Wha-No!" His eyes widened and he shook his head, furiously. "We ain't love birds, this isn't what ya thin-"

"You don't need to lie to Numbuh 5!" she cut him off with a small, uncomfortable smile. "Numbuh 5'll leave ya to things, but seriously fools, get a room."

Abby shot them a quick thumbs up before turning and speed-walking away. He watched with a frown as she retreated to her room and a sigh had left his lips before he could stop it. Not only was she acting strange, but she didn't react in the way he wanted her to.

He had thought stupidly that she would frown or something. Something to let him know that she felt the same for him as he did for her. She didn't even let him finish or clear up the misunderstanding!

She clearly didn't care, though. Abby had always supported him and Kuki together, from the very start. Her and Hoagie always teased them together so a part of him knew why. If Abby supported him and Kuki together, then that meant she didn't feel anything for him.

 _I dunno what to do,_ he thought, helplessly.

His chest constricted and his heart twisted painfully. He had the sudden urge to go into his room and punch out all his sadness and frustration on his sandbag.

That would make him feel a little better about the day's events.

But first, he had to be able to move his body first.

"Kuki, can ya please get off? My back's killin' me."

"Oh! Sorry Wally," she giggled quietly, "Silly me."

As she moved away and sat up, he followed suit. Without looking her in the eyes, he quietly handed over the doll. Before she could say anything, he stood up and raced to his room, hiding the tears that threatened to fall.


	14. unexpected

_**Nari** **-nee-chan:** Wow really? Honestly, I feel like I'm just throwing random ideas together but reading what you've said seriously makes me so happy, you have no idea. I didn't know anyone who liked the 4x5 pair so to know that there are others that also like these two is just amazing lol! I wish there were more 4/5 fics tbh D: but I guess mine would have to do for now!_

 _Enjoy! (this is a much longer chapter as well, sorry! BTW the appearance of a certain someone might be important in later chapters so don't worry, it's not random!)_

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own KND even though I wish I did sometimes :(

 **UNEDITED!**

* * *

 _Chapter 14: Operation U.N.E.X.P.E.C.T.E.D_

Abby woke up the next morning, her eyes red and puffy from the mountain of tears that erupted down her face the other night. She had had enough of pretending to be the calm, cool person everyone expected her to be.

She was human, after all, and there was only so much a person could take. The walls she had held up to protect and guard her heart had collapsed in an instant. After seeing Kuki and Wally together on the floor like that…it had broken every piece of her heart.

When she had discovered that she had fallen for Wally, the short, brash blond, she hadn't expected there to be any drama. It was only supposed to be a short and quiet crush that could have faded away with time.

But _with_ time, it was only getting stronger and even more painful than ever. Seeing them made even the dream of ever being together with him nothing but a speck in the distance.

It was just an impossible and silly thought and Abby couldn't believe that she had actually gotten her hopes up from time to time.

Her heart was just as foolish as she was.

 _Why am I so stupid?_ she thought, a scowl now on her lips. _Wally's nevah seen me as nothin' but a friend._ _Or even a...sister._

The thought made her want to shiver in disgust and pity for herself. Life wasn't fair in the sense that the people that she liked, never felt the same for her.

It was a repetitive pattern that seemed to never end. She let out a choked warble, her chin trembling like a small child's. The hot, angry tears slid down her cheeks like a dam, uncontrollable and rapid.

Abby couldn't help but hate herself for being so weak. There was no way to control her feelings and that's what angered her the most. The fact that she couldn't stop it. The fact that she would have to keep feeling the stabbing pain over and over until it would numb her.

She shook her head. That wasn't going to stop her from talking to Wally like always – she wasn't one to hold a grudge or hate people.

There was no way she could avoid him anyway. He was a part of the team and to make sure Sector V didn't fall apart, they would have to put any personal business aside and focus.

That was a flaw of hers because she _wanted_ to hate him. She wanted to punch him and tell him how much he was hurting her even though he wasn't doing it intentionally.

He didn't even know she liked him like that, after all, so it wasn't like she could actually accuse him of anything.

Abby pulled the sheets up over her head so that no one could see the tears that represented how much Wally meant to her and how hurt she was. Though no one could see her, she was still paranoid. She was sure they could hear her heartbroken sniffles, too. After all, her room was right next to Wally's and there was no way she was going to let him hear her sobbing.

That was the last thing she wanted to happen – everyone to know that the wise, chill Abigail Lincoln was actually shedding tears over a boy.

Over _Wally_.

It had to be kept a secret from everyone.

 _Numbuh 5's over him. I ain't gonna think about it. No boy is more important than the Kid's Next Door,_ she thought.

That was the way things ultimately had to be, after all. No matter how many times she wished it wasn't true, Wally was always going to be Kuki's and vice versa.

 _Maybe in anotha life, Numbuh 5'll be lucky,_ she thought, a shaky smile making its way onto her face.

Abby was more than determined to focus all her energy into something other than Wally. The best way to forget about him was to focus on the missions rather than the drama happening behind the scenes and inside her chest.

Even though the whispers of denial were said with a firmness that even Abby didn't believe, she knew that in her heart that it was the complete opposite.

She knew that even with witnessing the scene of Wally and Kuki spread onto the floor with limbs all over each other that her heart still ached over him.

She still liked him, despite everything and that infuriated her.

Her heart clenched painfully and it wasn't about to let go, even though she really wanted to. The pain was hard to hold in and that night, everything was being let out.

The room was her own sanctuary – no one knew what she did or what she had gone through before joining the KND.

Even though she didn't want anyone to hear, she couldn't help it. She couldn't help the sobs that wracked her chest in that instant. It didn't sound like it was coming from her mouth - the sounds sounded foreign and had the strength of someone vomiting. Abby was surprised how no one in the treehouse was awake at how loud it seemed to sound in her own ears.

She was glad no one paid attention though. She liked to deal with things on her own.

That night, though peaceful to others, in that dark, empty room, as everyone slept, she was wide awake, heart aching from all the betrayals in her short life.

She was only twelve years old and had been through so much. They all had. But she was already hurting over how unloveable she was, a boy and a relationship that could never be.

 _Ugh, stop bein' so dramatic fool,_ Abby scolded herself. As she wiped her cheeks that only seemed to get wetter each time, she forced herself to shut her eyes tightly and to go to sleep.

Even if sleep was the last thing she wanted to do.

After a few minutes of twisting and turning, she groaned and chucked the covers off of her body, depriving it of the warmth that she needed. Instantly, her body began shivering at the cold and so she grabbed her night robe and her slippers.

Tip-toeing over to her door, she slowly opened it. The cold breeze from the hallway slipped into the room, again sending chills down her spine despite her outerwear. Goosebumps formed on her skin and she could feel the tiny bumps even through the sleeves. Crossing her arms together to keep the warmth close, she walked down the dark hallway and to the kitchen.

It was hard to work in the pitch black darkness but she had no other choice unless she wanted to wake the others up. And that wasn't even going to be an option.

She reached for a mug as she sniffled and took her time in making a hot chocolate. Hot chocolate seemed like the only thing that was able to calm her down and warm up her insides. Plus it was chocolate, and that, besides candy, was her lifesaver in many situations.

Making it was a pretty good distraction, too.

Though, even as she was making it, she could feel her tears gathering at the back of her lids and blurring up her vision of the mug in front of her. It irritated her that she was still crying about something so small.

"Ugh, Numbuh 5's got to get it together."

"Gotta get what togetha?"

Abby jumped, dropping her mug. Hissing at the pain of the hot liquid spilling on her mocha skin, she turned on her heels, only to be staring back at a surprised Wally, his green eyes wide. He instantly put up his hands, palms facing her in a 'don't shoot' gesture.

As she regained her composure, she stuttered out, "Fool, look at what you made Numbuh 5 do!"

"It ain't ma fault! Yer the one that dropped it!"

"Well, Numbuh 5 wouldn't have dropped it in the first place if it wasn't for you, sneaking around like that!"

"I wasn't sneakin' around! I just asked ya a question!"

With a flustered and annoyed sigh, she grabbed a tissue and wiped at the liquid on her legs. It didn't sting as much as it first did but she ignored the slight burn and bent down to pick up the broken mug, instead. Not only was she devastated about the now destroyed hot chocolate and her favourite cup, but also embarrassed. How long had Wally been standing there? When had he even come anyway?

She hoped to God that he didn't see her puffy face and sniffles. That would only make things worse and she wasn't looking forward to answering any questions.

"I'm sorry."

Abby's fingers froze and, caught off-guard, she looked up. Wally stood there, staring down at her with a gaze that she couldn't describe. His hands were balled into fists beside him, his eyebrows drawn together and a little frown curving his lips.

"For what?"

"For startling ya. I didn't think anyone would be up at this time."

She immediately looked away, guilty. The way he was looking at her made it feel like he knew everything. As if he could see through to her.

Occupying herself with picking up the pieces, she was suddenly stopped by a tanned hand that had reached out and grasped her wrist. For a split second, she internally chuckled at how different their skin tones were and the contrast of brown against white.

Shaking her head slightly, her eyes travelled down the length of the arm and to the face of the person who was holding it.

Wally peered into her eyes, face stern. It was an expression she had only seen during missions; it was his game face.

"You'll hurt yerself. I'll help ya."

"Numbuh 5 don't need your help."

He looked at her. Really looked at her with a gentle, understanding gaze. "I know," he said, softly.

Abby was taken aback by the tone of his voice; it had a softness she had never heard from Wally before. It had a touch of warmth, something that was usually only reserved for Kuki. The gentle way in which he was dealing with her, the way he was speaking to her – it was all new to her.

It made her feel strange; her stomach clenched tightly and made her sick.

She looked up at him, her dark eyes meeting his deep pools of green that seemed to hypnotise her, pulling her in. He took advantage of her speechlessness as he let go of her wrist and got up.

At the loss of the warmth that he had provided, she blinked before a small frown of disappointment appeared on her mouth. His touch had made her feel safe and secure which was something she had never experienced with anyone before.

And usually, she was the one making people feel safe, not the other way around.

Shaking her head furiously at the immature thoughts, she watched as he brought out a dustpan and brush and-

 _Hold on a sec,_ she froze.

Wally didn't like _cleaning_.

So, she was more than surprised to see him with a serious expression and holding cleaning equipment.

"Uh, who are ya and what did ya do with the _real_ Numbuh 4?" she tried to joke. He glanced up at her, his eyebrows furrowed.

"What?" he replied in a defensive tone as his body stiffened. "I don't mind cleanin' from time ta time."

She scoffed, ignoring the fact that he was acting strangely. "Who do you think you're foolin'?! You don't clean at all!"

"Shuddup," he mumbled, before focusing his now dark, stormy emerald eyes on the mess made on the floor.

They didn't speak a word to one another after that and a sick feeling once again settled in Abby's stomach. She didn't know what was up with Wally and the curiosity and anxiety only grew in the pit of her stomach, making things worse.

 _Did Abby do somethin'?_ she thought, stealing a glance at him as she worked on mopping up the hot chocolate with paper tissues.

Wally silently dusted the broken pieces of glass into the dustpan and they were silent as they worked, both wanting to question the other about why they were up so late.

As they worked independently, it allowed Abby to dwell on what had brought her to this dilemma in the first place. That meant she, unintentionally, of course, had been letting slip a couple of sniffles as well as some tears. It dropped on her hand like rain and split apart into a million liquid fragments as she worked and she cursed herself for being so mindless.

Being as subtle as she could, she wiped her hand on her blue dress, unaware that a certain blond boy's gaze was fixed on her.

"You alroight, Abby?"

He had gone back to calling her by her given name. She was confused but she wasn't as annoyed as she was before.

A conclusion she had come up with was that it wasn't because they had become distant - though that may have been a reason - but because he didn't want to bring unwanted attention to the both of them by calling each other by their given names.

It was what made sense to _her_ , at least. Calling each other by their given names was Wally and Kuki's thing because they had known to like each other from the very start.

To have Abby and Wally do the same would only raise suspicions, whether they were close or not. Even if that wasn't the entire reason, Abby didn't mind if he switched between the two from time to time.

Being called 'Abby' in private made it that much sweeter.

"So, are ya gonna tell me?"

She looked up.

"Tell you what, boy?"

He gave her a look just as he got up and chucked out the pieces of glass. After putting everything back in its place, he crossed his arms.

He gazed at her from underneath the blond hair that fell a little bit in front of his piercing eyes. The pointed stare and just the fact that his eyes were focused on her made her uneasy, not because it was creepy or uncomfortable, but because it made her feel warm and fuzzy on the inside.

It felt _right_.

She tore her eyes away and stared down at her slightly trembling hands instead.

"Numbuh 5 don't need to tell you nothin'."

"Ya don't. But I'm yer friend and I'm here for ya, ya know," he said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly before turning serious, facing her with stern eyes. "And I may not be the brightest kid, Abby, but I ain't stupid. I can see that ya were cryin'."

Abby nearly snorted at that. She never thought he was stupid - she always believed in him. The fact that he could pick up her moods and everyone else's in a matter of seconds was proof of that.

But she didn't want him knowing the real reason why she was acting so weird.

"Numbuh 5 did nothin' of the sort," she replied crisply and got up. Without looking in his direction, she chucked the wet paper towels in the bin and turned to speed-walk away to her room.

However, before she could even take a step, a flash of tangerine orange flooded her vision. She blinked and found Wally standing in front of her, blocking her way out.

Crossing her arms, she said, "Wally, move."

"Why should I?" he challenged.

"So Numbuh 5 can go back to her room and sleep, fool."

"Tell me the truth, first and then I'll move for ya."

Abby threw her arms in the air in exasperation. She just wanted to be curled up in her blankets and forget this had ever happened but Wally was making it more difficult than it had to be.

"What are ya talking about?!"

"Ya know what I'm talkin' about, Abby," he said, bright green eyes darkening, contrasting with his sunny hair. He stepped forward. "And I ain't lettin' ya go ta ya room 'till ya tell me!"

"Numbuh 5 ain't tellin' you a thing, sport," she said, chuckling at the deadly glare he shot her at the nickname, "and you ain't gonna make me."

"Oh yeah?!"

"Yeah."

Their faces were inches away from each other, noses practically touching. As if realising at the same time, their eyes widened, the blond sucking in a sharp breath that went by unnoticed by the girl. Wordlessly, they gazed into each other's eyes, waiting for the other to take the first step back. And it was when she witnessed the pupils in Wally's bright eyes suddenly dilate and darken, that she stepped up to the task and moved back.

Shock filled her as she stared at the boy in front of her that was able to make her feel thousands of flickering emotions that even she didn't know she had. All she could feel was her damp palms and her dry throat.

 _What-what was that?_ she thought, her heart thudding painfully loud in her ears as she tried to make sense of what had happened.

They had shared a mini moment. As a strange, awkward silence fell over them, she took that as her chance to escape from his questioning and turned to leave.

"Wait!"

She froze, cursing herself for not being quick enough.

"So, you ain't gonna tell me?"

Abby shut her eyes tightly. She was glad he wasn't talking about what had just happened, but she wasn't quite happy with where this conversation was going, either. Slowly, she shook her head.

"Foine. Don't tell me." She turned her head to look at him, just in time to see him slyly walk over to the bin. He glanced at a confused Abby with a devious grin. "Wait 'till Numbuh 1 gets a load of the mess ya made in the kitchen, then!"

She nearly snorted at this poor accusation. The boy needed to work on his threats better.

"What mess?" She gestured towards the kitchen that was practically sparkling with how spotless it was. "It's all clean, you goof."

Wally's eyes flashed mischievously.

"Oh?"

He stuck his foot out, ready to kick the bin and instantly Abby's heart rate picked up.

"Put. The. Foot. Down," she said, softly, body frozen stiff. A part of her was trying to remain calm, but the other was trying to not yell at Wally for being such an idiotic fool and testing her patience.

He shrugged, shoving his hands in the kangaroo pouch of his hoodie.

"Nah, don't feel like it."

"What do you mean, you don't feel like it?! You bettah feel like it or Numbuh 5's comin' over there and-"

"You can come over 'ere but you'll be stuck in a pile of rubbish. Good luck cleanin' all that up," he said, snickering.

"Wally-"

"-Abby."

They stared at each other silently, one shooting the other a warning glare and the other practically oozing with nothing but mischief.

"Wait 'till I tell Numbuh 1 who did this."

"He won't believe ya!"

"Oh, he will. Innocent ol' me just got up ta get a glass of water but there ya were, sleep walkin' and trashin' the place. It'll be fool-proof, I tell ya!"

Abby sighed. The 'plan' was ridiculous – Nigel wouldn't believe anything like that, but she played along, anyway. She just wanted to go to sleep and the sooner he was done ranting about his oh so genius plan, the better.

"Alright, fine. What do ya want, shortie?"

He scowled. "Don't call me that!"

"Well, you definitely ain't tall."

"Whatevah," he spat before straightening up, putting his foot down. "Look, I just want ya ta tell me if everythin's alroight with ya."

Suddenly he dropped his voice as a blush stained his cheeks; it clashed against his rough, brash personality. The frown on her face slowly disappeared and instead, her mouth parted in surprise as he continued, unaware of her gaze.

"I'm...I guess ya could say I'm worried about ya?"

"Why?"

He looked up at her, then, green eyes piercing into dark, lost ones. "Because."

She gulped instinctively. His gaze was so deep and powerful that it was like she was being sucked into them.

At that moment, everything just seemed so _confusing_. With the way he was looking at her, one would think that the girl he liked was _her_.

 _No!_ her mind screamed, trying to fight against the light, airy feeling in her chest as her heart swelled up with hope. _H-He can't like Numbuh 5. No, that's impossible,_ she thought as her heart rate began to speed up like a motorcycle.

It just didn't sound right, though.

It was always supposed to be Wally and Kuki. Anything –any _one_ else didn't make sense.

"I don't want ya to be upset," he continued speaking, in a soft way – as much as a boy could soothe a girl. "Ya can't lie to me and say you weren't cryin' cuz I saw ya."

Abby shut her mouth, heat travelling to her cheeks and down her neck. It warmed up her entire body but she tore her eyes away from him. To avoid any embarrassment, she stared down at her once-white Mary-Janes, wondering what to tell him. It was late and she didn't want to be up, spilling her feelings out to Wally.

She could avoid the part of her feelings for him and talk about how she felt as if she wasn't good enough sometimes. It wasn't like he wouldn't understand but he wouldn't appreciate it. He barely tolerated Kuki's hugs, but he did because it was _her_.

Why would he even waste a single second for Abby?

She just couldn't.

She could deal with things herself.

Abigail Lincoln was her name, after all.

Straightening up and painting a smile on her face, she chuckled.

"That's really nice of ya, Wally." His face lit up. "But don't worry, Numbuh 5 can handle things on her own."

With that, she turned away and walked past him and to her room, unaware of the dejected look that had settled on Wally's face as he watched her walk away.

* * *

She was so confused.

There were so many questions running through her mind. Like, why was Wally up that night? Why was he so eager to listen to her open up about whatever it was she was crying about? Would he...ever like her back?

Questions like that always fluttered around her mind, even though they were the last things she wanted to be thinking about. It was embarrassing to even say to herself, but like any person with a crush, she was curious and she wanted to know whether Wally felt the same. It would be a dream come true for anyone if the person they liked, liked them back, too.

She nearly laughed out loud at that ridiculous thought, and even though the answer was blatantly obvious, she just wanted to know. A part of her was even wishing and hoping she was wrong.

It was strange how strongly she felt for the boy she had known for years but had never seen in that way before. Even Abby wasn't aware of just how much she liked him, not until that moment they shared where her thoughts and the way her body and mind reacted, scared her. It was frustrating for her to think that the 'moment' they had shared, was probably only seen as one by her.

She was overreacting and the more days passed, the stronger and stranger the feelings felt.

 _Maybe it's cos Numbuh 5's turnin' 13,_ she thought, trying to make sense of things. _A whole bunch of those hormones goin' on in my brain?_

Being thirteen and a teenager meant teenager problems and crushes that kids didn't have to worry about. Even this morning, as soon as she woke up, the events flickered through her mind like a flashback. To avoid facing the others and Wally, and to just get out of the environment of the treehouse, she had gotten up early and left the tree house, sneaking out to a nearby lake for some morning nature relaxation.

She wanted to be as far away from them as possible and have a little 'Abby' time.

She shook her head as she sat cross-legged on the edge of a pier and gazed out at the ripples in the lake. It was supposed to be her relaxing day off, but she was feeling anything but; turmoil and confusion fluttered in her stomach.

The more she stared at the practically sparkling water and the gentle burble of the lake, the sooner the troubling thoughts seemed to disappear, a certain calmness taking over her as she closed her eyes.

Trying to take in nature at its finest was the best thing she could do for herself and her racing heart. In order to make sense of the situation, she needed to be calm. Just when her body began to relax, a spiteful voice made her jolt.

"What're _you_ doing here?"

Abby whipped her head around, frowning when her eyes met with two pairs of blue orbs that belonged to a conniving, unfaithful blond teenager.

"Whaddya want, Chad?" she asked, turning back around in disinterest. "Numbuh 5 ain't in the mood for a fight."

He chuckled. "That's new."

Instead of leaving her alone as she had expected, she heard his footsteps coming nearer. The wooden pier creaked from under the pressure of his feet and once he reached her, he seated himself right next to her.

She tried to resist the urge to shove him into the water and clenched her fists instead.

 _This boy bettah leave or -_

Her thoughts were cut off when he, instead of attacking her or making fun of her as she had expected, stared out into the lake like her. She peeked through one eye and stole a quick glance at him before shutting her eyes again.

"And what do ya think _you're_ doin'?"

He spared her a side-glance, eyes sparkling with amusement. "What do you think I'm doing, dork?"

Abby's eyes popped open and she gritted her teeth, preparing for a fight if need be. But he turned his eyes lazily back to the lake before she could say anything. It was clear to her then that there was something else on his mind.

Soon, her tense exterior came down and her muscles began to loosen. She couldn't help but study the side of his face; his eyes seemed to sparkle in the sunlight, but it didn't fit the grim expression on his face. His pink lips were pulled into a thin line as if he was troubled about something.

A dark shadow rolled over his face for a split second, and then it was gone.

"Is there somethin' wrong?" she found herself asking, despite herself. He gave her a side glance before looking back out at the water again.

"Do you care?"

"Well, you are the enemy."

"So, you don't." Chad scoffed bitterly. "Why'd you even ask?"

"Cos...Numbuh 5 ain't the type to leave someone who's upset about somethin' alone, even if they are an enemy of the Kids Next Door."

He turned and their eyes locked onto each other. They were engulfed by a silence that was all too strange for Abby to come to terms with. It wasn't awkward or dangerous. It was peaceful.

Strange.

It didn't seem like he was going to tell her anything or speak anytime soon, so she turned away from him.

 _Just pretend he ain't there, girl,_ she told herself, shutting her eyes to calm herself down.

So, she did.

And it was pretty good for a little while – until he started to speak. The irritation was mounting up within her. She just wanted a peaceful day off and here Chad of all people, was, talking to her as if everything was fine.

She was the one who had asked, though, so she supposed it was technically her fault but she hadn't actually expected anything from him.

"You're weird, you know that?" he asked, eyes narrowed as if trying to figure her out.

She found herself snorting in amusement.

"Ain't that the truth, boy."

After a few seconds of silence, he joked, "Mind if I pour out my life story, then? Fellow weirdo to weirdo?"

"Go ahead. Numbuh 5's all ears," she said a small smile on her face.

 _What am I doin'!? Get outta there girl!_ she yelled to herself. However, she found that her tiny butt was still planted onto the wooden pier, right next to Chad's.

It was when she turned her head, that she realised he had been staring at her, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

"What? Does Numbuh 5 have somethin' on her face?" She reached up and rubbed her face instinctively but stopped when he shook his head.

"No, just thinking about something."

She gave him a look. "What?"

"Well, if I tell you what's bothering me, will you tell me what's bothering you?"

 _Numbuh 5 knew it!_ she thought, scoffing internally.

Abby crossed her arms and stared at the blond teenager next to her with a solemn expression.

"Numbuh 5 ain't bothered about nothin'."

"That's not what your face is saying. You look upset."

She threw her arms up in the air, groaning. "Numbuh 5 ain't upset! Why does everyone keep saying that!?" She knew not everyone said that, but it felt like it, especially in recent times. Now, she was read like an open book whereas before, she used to be able to keep her emotions off of her face and behave in a manner that fit well depending on a situation.

Ever since she had discovered her feelings for Wally, it was as if she was a different person. As if she was more of a girl than she had ever been before, as strange as it was. She was typically the collected Abigal Lincoln, but now she was just the conflicted Abigail Lincoln who was always confused.

Of course, she was able to keep personal matters and business seperate - she was always able to do that because the KND was a cause she was dedicated to, just like Nigel.

But even still, she felt her facade waver from time to time when she would just glance at the blonde boy.

"So, I'm not the only one that sees it then," he said, breaking into her thoughts with a smirk. The only thing Abby wanted to do at that very moment, was to slap him but she let out a frustrated sigh through her mouth.

"Fine. Suppose Numbuh 5's a little bothered about somethin'. Still, do ya take Numbuh 5 for a fool?" she said, tartly. "This might be another one of your stupid plans!"

He shrugged and matched her even gaze with one of his own. "I'm gonna be telling you what's bothering me first, and it's pretty much a secret I haven't told anyone."

"And why are you tellin' Numbuh 5 this?" she challenged.

"I don't really care what a kid like you thinks of me. Plus, you're here and it's convenient?"

"Right. So, this isn't gonna be a dumb, fabricated story to get Numbuh 5 to spill any info, is it?"

"Even if it was, would it work?"

She scowled. "No."

Chad snorted, his eyes lighting up. "Exactly."

The excuses and the red flags going off in her head before slowly vanished. She was starting to relax around the teenager, which was an absurd thing to do and not under any normal circumstance would she have done this.

Maybe it was because she was so emotionally and mentally vulnerable that she just needed someone.

Someone that wasn't part of the KND and could easily judge her. It made sense to why Chad was here, too.

"Alright," she gave in, "fine. Spill."

Chad placed his hands slightly behind him and put his weight on his arms, leaning back onto them for support. He heaved a huge sigh, still looking out over the crystal clear water that rippled and flowed gently.

The breeze was lovely and the sounds of birds communicating with each other through gentle chirps disappeared for seconds and then would return in an instant. It was an easy distraction and one that she found herself listening to as she waited for Chad to speak.

"I guess you could say this is a typical teen problem. Working with the teens is awesome and all, but we...just have different views."

Abby's dark eyebrows pulled together from underneath her red cap.

"Who's _we?_ "

He hesitated. "Me and this girl I like."

Those very eyebrows shot up instantly.

"Numbuh 5 thought you were with Stacey!"

"How do you know about that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. A flush crept up to her cheeks but she kept her cool and smirked.

"Well, who doesn't?"

Chad nodded and she sighed internally in relief at her coolly made-up lie.

"Well, she and I broke up. I like this other girl now but...she makes things so difficult. The only thing she wants to do is destroy the Kids Next Door and -"

"Wait, wait, hold up!"

He shot her an annoyed look at the second interruption, his eyes narrowed. Abby ignored it, pushing through with her queries.

"So you're tellin' Numbuh 5 that you're not interested in destroying the Kids Next Door? But that's all you do!"

"I know." He sighed, running a large hand through carefully styled blond hair. "But I'm a teenager for crying out loud! That's not all I want to do. I want to experience other things, too. With _her_. She doesn't even want to hang out normally."

 _Well, that_ _is_ _quite a dilemma,_ she thought, biting her bottom lip in confusion.

"Numbuh 5 wish she could help ya, but..."

"I don't think you can, either."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "Why do you think that?"

Chad ran a hand through his hair, wincing a little as he opened his mouth. "Because I don't think you're gonna like it."

In an instant, she was alert. Every muscle in her body tensed as she leaned forward a little to stare at Chad with wide, critical eyes.

"What do ya mean by you don't think Numbuh 5's gonna like it?"

He let out an exasperated sigh. "I like Cree, alright? I like your sister."

Without even wasting a second, she shoved him into the river and watched as he toppled in with a loud scream.

"What's wrong with ya!? You like _Cree?!_ As in ma sister, Cree?!" she screeched, face turning red-hot. "How—how—why- _WHAT?_ "

Confusion, anger and disgust flickered in her eyes as she watched Chad spray water out of his mouth, blinking rapidly.

"What the heck is wrong with you, kid!? You could have at least warned me, you know!"

"Warned you about shoving you into the river? Where's the fun in that, fool?" she spat, bitterly, staring down at him with disgust.

He rolled his eyes and grabbed the edge of the pier, pushing himself up before falling flat on his back in exhaustion. He placed his elbow over his eyes to shield them from the blinding light of the sun.

"Well, I did say you wouldn't like it," he muttered.

Abby growled, the sound rolling up her throat like that of a loud beast. She opened her mouth, ready to berate him and to warn him against coming on to her sister...but she stopped.

 _Cree and I ain't close no more. What she does in her spare time isn't my business,_ she thought with a small frown. Her shoulders relaxed and she swallowed thickly.

"Whatevah. Do what you want, fool."

Chad removed his arm and turned to stare at her as if she had grown two heads.

"What?"

"I'm shocked. You're seriously okay with this?"

She shrugged.

"Does it matter? Why do you care what Numbuh 5 thinks anyway? You're a teenager that doesn't care about kids." After pausing, she added, "or anyone for that matter."

Chad rolled his eyes. "We're not all that bad, you know. I learnt my lesson after you drenched me with my strawberry milkshake."

"Whatevah. I ain't gonna help you with this crush of yours, though," she drawled, uninterested in the conversation. She got up with a sigh. "Numbuh 5's leavin'."

"Wait!"

"What?" she turned around to glare at him, hands on her hips.

"I told you what I was bothered about. Now, it's your turn."

"Oh heck naw! Numbuh 5 ain't sayin' nothin'," she said, suddenly panicking. There was no way anyone could know about her crush about Wally.

Ever.

If she said it out loud, then it would become real and as if she was accepting of it. And she didn't really know if she was accepting of something that was impossible.

Chad chuckled, eyes studying her carefully. He noticed the despondent look on her face, the various emotions flickering through her eyes and her stiff muscles.

She looked lost.

"You know, maybe talking about it can help. Holding it in will only cause more problems for you, you know?"

"You don't need to lecture Numbuh 5. She knows what she's doin'."

He raised his hands, palms facing her. "Just saying."

Before she could say anything further, he pushed himself up, whipping his still damp hair to the side. "If you want to talk about it though, you know where to find me."

He went to walk past her when he stopped, shooting her a smirk.

"Just make sure the others don't find out."

Abby scowled. There was no way she was going to take him up on that offer. Her eyes trained on his damp football jersey and jeans as he slowly walked away.

"Numbuh 5 likes Wally."

Her eyes widened in horror and she slapped both hands over her mouth as those words accidentally left her mouth. It was as if it had a life of its own, and she watched in utter embarrassment and anger as Chad froze.

Slowly, he turned on his heels, own eyes wide with shock.

"You like that violent Australian brat?"

"Maybe. So?" she asked, suddenly feeling very defensive. "There ain't nothin' wrong with that." She faltered before continuing, "right?"

An amused smirk made its way onto his lips. He shoved his hands into his jean pockets. "Do you feel like there's something wrong with that?"

When she remained silent, he snickered.

"What's so funny?!"

"Just the fact that the calm and collected Numbuh 5 so lost over a boy."

"I regret sayin' anythin' to you," she spat and went to walk past him angrily when he grabbed her upper arm, gently.

He peered into her eyes, earnestly.

"I'm not making fun of you," he said, surprisingly softly. "I'm laughing because you're such a kid. The answer's so simple."

"What're you sa-"

"I'm saying, you shouldn't care what others think. If you like him, then there's nothing wrong with that, I'm not judging. I honestly thought he liked Kuki, though." Then as an afterthought, added, "That and he seems to be quite popular with the ladies."

Abby rolled her eyes but couldn't help agreeing with him. Wally was liked by Fanny, Kuki and now herself. He was surely going to grow up into a heartbreaker.

"Numbuh 5 ain't gonna deny that."

"What, his popularity or the fact that he likes Kuki?"

The realisation that Abby's crush would go nowhere, struck her heart and she offered Chad a pained smile.

"Both." Abby sighed. "This is the reason why Numbuh 5 didn't wanna tell a soul 'bout this."

Chad shrugged. "Life is unpredictable." He gave her a side-glance. "Anything can happen, you know. Maybe try making the first move."

She jolted in her spot as she stared at the tall teen, mouth agape.

"Yer kiddin' me, right?"

"What? It's the 21st century."

"So? Numbuh 5 ain't makin' no move on someone who has never seen me as more than a sister."

"How do you know that?"

That made her freeze.

"What?"

"How do you know that he only sees you as a sister? Have you asked him?" he questioned, raising a challenging eyebrow.

Abby looked away from his pointed stare. "Numbuh 5 just knows," she snapped. "And can we please stop talkin' about this? There ain't no point."

Chad nodded, rolling his eyes. "Alright. I'm just saying, you should tell him and find out. If he rejects you, at least you'll know."

"I should say the same thing to you, then," she bit back. He chuckled darkly.

"I've already told Cree how I feel and she feels the same. But we just can't be together, that's all."

"Oh," Abby replied lamely. She wanted to ask why, but the answer was given to her before he had revealed who the girl was. All of a sudden, an awkward silence took over before she spoke again, wanting nothing more than to leave.

"Well, Numbuh 5 should best get goin'." She pointed a finger at him in warning. "And you better keep your mouth shut, Chad, you understand? Or Numbuh 5'll hunt ya down and make sure you regret openin' that mouth of yours."

He shot her a two-fingered salute, that smug smirk still painted on his lips. "Aye, aye, Ma'am. Trust me, I won't tell a soul."

She rolled her eyes. Funny how she didn't trust him at all.

Turning, she walked away from him. "Whatevah," she mumbled under her breath.

Even though she had warned him, there was still a sinking feeling as she walked further away. Of course, she didn't trust him, but her stupid mouth had a mouth of its own and told him something not even her own friends knew about.

The last thing she wanted was Chad telling Wally about her feelings for him; the nervous flutters appeared in her stomach and began to crawl up through her throat. She gulped it down and let out a long breath of air.

 _Wally won't believe a thing Chad would say anyway. He's nothin' but a lousy traitor in Wally's eyes,_ she thought, giving herself a pep talk.

It didn't erase what had been said, but it served to make her feel a little better than what she had originally been feeling.

* * *

Nigel watched with narrowed eyes as two of his team members continued to act strangely. Both Abby and Wally were avoiding each other. It was plain to see to anyone with eyes, but Kuki and Hoagie both seemed to be in their own worlds to notice.

He had expected the behaviour to be normal with Wally, but for Abby to be avoiding someone, especially Wally, was strange. She wasn't usually so reserved and the type to hold grudges - he would know, considering he knew her the longest compared to any of the other members in the team.

What was even stranger, was the fact that they didn't seem angry either, just careful. The only time they would talk to each other, would be when they had to ask to pass stuff over at the dinner table or during movie nights when the other would ask about what they wanted to watch on TV.

Even then, it was awkward because the person at the receiving end would only nod or respond with a one worded-reply. It was very...odd, to say the least.

This was another one of those awkward dinner days, and the tension this time could be felt by everyone in the room, even Hoagie. Kuki on the other hand...she was bright, but sometimes, she was just too much in her own world to care.

Abby and Wally both stared down at their plates, eyes burning holes into their food. Kuki tried to ignore the weird atmosphere and happily cuddled her Rainbow Monkey as she ate delicately and Hoagie was just as suspicious as Nigel at that point.

They both looked up at the same time, glancing at the other with suspicious frowns. Just then, Hoagie kicked Nigel under the table.

"OW!" the leader yelped and jolted in his seat, causing all four heads to turn his way. He bit down on his lip and let out a forced chuckle. "Sorry guys. I just...bumped my leg against the table."

As everyone nodded and returned quietly to their food, Hoagie shot an apologetic smile at Nigel who only flashed him a venomous glare.

"What?" he hissed, rubbing his now sore shin that was sure to form a bruise.

Hoagie glanced around the table making sure no one was listening before leaning closer to Nigel.

"Don't you think Numbuh 4 and 5 are acting kinda, you know-"

"-strange?"

His eyes widened into round lemons. "So, you agree?"

"They haven't been talking to each other much and they barely communicate during missions. They're acting as if they don't even know each other. It's unusual."

Hoagie let his shoulders loosen as he whispered, "So, you've felt it too! Oh thank goats, I thought I was finally going crazy or something."

"No, you're most certainly not crazy," Nigel said absentmindedly, stroking his chin as he leaned back into his chair and studied Wally. "Perhaps we should question them."

"Question them?" Hoagie asked in a low mumble, eyes wide from under the aviator hat. "About why they're acting so weird? Do you think they'll tell us, Numbuh 1?"

"There's only one way to find out."

After dinner was over, both Hoagie and Nigel snuck over to Wally's room. To their surprise, the blond wasn't punching his sandbag or doing anything that was anything remotely Wally-like.

He was just lying down on the floor of his wrestling ring, staring up at the ceiling blankly as if thinking about something.

"Uh, you alright, Numbuh 4?" Hoagie asked, worry seeping into his tone. Wally turned his head slowly as if it took extra effort. He then glanced between the two boys that stood before him.

"Huh? Whaddya guys want?"

Nigel placed his arms behind his back and cleared his throat.

"We just want to know if everything's okay, you know?"

Wally frowned and let out a little scoff. "Course everythin's alroight, Numbuh 1, why would ya-"

"Between you and Numbuh 5."

"Oh," Wally faltered at the mention of Abby, eyes turning a dull shade of green. He sighed and turned his head, looking back up at the ceiling that seemed to be so far out of reach from him.

Just like a certain African-American girl.

Nigel shared a concerned glance with Hoagie before they walked closer to him and sat down.

"If there's something bothering you, Numbuh 4, then you can tell us. We're your friends and we won't judge."

Almost a second later as if he couldn't stop it, Wally suddenly confessed in a quick breath:

"I like 'er."

Hoagie's eyes widened and he let out a chuckle. "Well, that was easy!" But then his eyes furrowed. "Wait, who do you like?"

Nigel shot him a look.

"Are you saying you like Numbuh 3-"

Wally quickly shook his head. "Nah. Not anymore. I'm talkin' about-about Numbuh 5," he mumbled.

"Oh cool," Hoagie said, dismissively. "You like..." He trailed off and gasped as if he had just processed what Wally had said. He jumped up from his seat. "You like-like _Numbuh 5?!"_ he yelled like a little kid. "I was right this entire time! I knew it! I _knew_ it! Who called it? I did!"

He began to dance around, trying to do moves as much as his body would allow him.

"Not so loud, ya moron!" Wally hissed, chucking one of his shoes at him. The boy winced and chuckled apologetically as he rubbed the side of his head.

"Oops, sorry."

Nigel rolled his eyes. "I don't see why this is such a problem. f you like her, then I think that's great. Just...why are you both acting so weird?"

Wally groaned as he sat up and put his head in his hands.

"I dunno!" he grunted in frustration and confusion. "I was plannin' ta tell 'er how I felt today but she's been actin' weird ever since this mornin in the kitchen."

"What happened in the kitchen?" the bald boy asked with a raise of an eyebrow. Wally's cheeks turned red as he chuckled nervously.

"Uh, nothin'. I couldn't sleep 'cuz I was thinkin' about stuff and how ta tell 'er how I felt, and she couldn't sleep either I'm guessin? I dunno."

"Riiiiiight."

Hoagie cut in, completely unaware of the atmosphere. "So, aren't you going to tell her, Numbuh 4?"

Wally, grateful for the save, dived in to chat with his other best friend. "I was but she doesn't even wanna talk to me."

"Why don't you talk to her first?"

Wally glanced between Hoagie and Nigel as if they had grown two heads.

"Are ya kiddin' me? What if she yells at me and says she doesn't wanna talk to me?"

Nigel face-palmed. "And why would she do that?" he asked sarcastically.

The green-eyed member shrugged, genuinely lost. "I dunno. Cuz she hates me, now?"

"She doesn't-"

"WAIT, WAIT, WAIT. Hold up one second, guys."

Both Nigel and Wally turned their attention towards the chubby member of their team who stared at Wally with a confused frown, hands on his hips.

"Why're ya lookin' at me like that?"

"Well, didn't you like Numbuh 3? You were practically in love with her for a loooooong time so what's up with this new crush?"

Nigel nodded and turned to Wally for an answer, witnessing the blond turning beet red at this information. He scoffed, spluttering in the process of coming up with an answer.

"H-hey! I—I was not in _love_ with Kuki! I just...liked her a lot at one point." He sighed at the look he was getting from both boys and ran both his hands down his face in exhaustion. "I know, alroight? It was ma cruddy fault that caused all this."

Hoagie glanced at Nigel who was staring at the Australian with stern eyes.

"What do you mean, Numbuh 4?" When he didn't say anything, Nigel pushed, tone one of warning. "Numbuh 4."

"Ugh, what?"

"Tell us."

He let out a deep breath through his mouth. "I thought Kuki liked you and so I got mad and ignored 'er for weeks. Abby was the only one that helped me through that and that's how we got closer. If it wasn't for my stupid brain misunderstandin' everythin' then maybe I would have still liked Kuki. Not that I regret how I feel for Abby, it's just so...different and too painful for me to handle."

"Wait, where was I during this?" Hoagie questioned, his eyebrows furrowed. "I don't remember this at all."

"I nevah told any of ya what was happenin' and Kuki didn't really realise that I was avoidin' 'er, I guess." Wally shrugged and Nigel nodded, taking in the information.

"Well, I hope you've learnt your lesson, Numbuh 4." He watched as Wally hung his head down in dismay, blond bangs flopping forward. "But everything happens for a reason. So, perhaps, your newfound feelings for Numbuh 5 was, you know, fate? It was bound to happen somehow."

He lifted his head up, green eyes glistening with what looked like tears. Nigel pretended he didn't notice.

"Ya really think so, Numbuh 1?"

"Of course."

"So," he sniffled, wiping his nose with the sleeve of his orange hoodie. "Ya guys don't think I'm rude or nothin'?"

"Rude?" Hoagie repeated, eyes wide. "Why would we think you're rude?"

"For liking Kuki for so long and then...all of a sudden, liking Abby?" he asked, voice small.

Nigel shrugged. "Well, it's not like it's your fault. You can't help who you develop feelings for, Numbuh 4. We end up liking the people that we never ever expected to like. That's just how things work sometimes."

"Like Numbuh 1 and Lizzie," Hoagie mumbled to Wally with a mean snicker who joined in a second later.

Nigel bit down a defensive retort fort Wally's sake and nodded, going along with it instead.

"Yeah, exactly like me and Lizzie," he said, monotone. "But, that's not the point! The _point_ is, it's okay to like Numbuh 5. Stop avoiding each other and talk to her so you can find out if she feels the same."

Wally nodded in determination as he got up on his feet. "Yeah...yeah you're roight, Numbuh 1! I gotta talk to 'er and tell 'er how I feel!"

"That's the spirit, Numbuh 4!" Hoagie cheered but then froze. "But, um, maybe you should talk to Numbuh 3 first."

"Kuki? Why?" The blond turned his confused gaze to the 2x4 technology expert who shuffled awkwardly on his feet.

"Well, uh, because...she likes you." At the blank look on his short friend's face, he raised an eyebrow as he continued hesitantly, "you do know that right?"

"Obvio-" Wally's eyes suddenly popped open. "Wait, _what!?"_

Hoagie jumped and took a step away from him. "Geez, calm down! I'm saying Kuki likes you but you were both too oblivious to notice or do anything about it," he said with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh."

Wally surprisingly found that he wasn't disappointed. Just sad on behalf of Kuki and not being able to return her feelings. If he hadn't been such an idiot then maybe she wouldn't be hurting and maybe he wouldn't be, either.

In a softer tone, however, he continued, "But you should really tell her before going to Numbuh 5. She deserves to know, too."

He nodded. "Yeah, I know. I'll talk to 'er."

"And try to clear things up with the both of them _before_ our next mission, please, Numbuh 4," Nigel advised as he patted him on the shoulder before leaving his room. "We need to be at our best when fighting adult tyranny!"

Hoagie rolled his eyes. "He needs to chill out."

"Yeah, no kiddin'," Wally replied, a slight smile of pride and affection on his face as he watched his friends leave his room.

Even though he was hurting real bad, he knew he could always count on his best friends. They made sure that even through the worst days they would be right there for him. Without even saying anything, they had understood that he was in trouble and in need of some support.

And that - their friendship - gave him the energy he needed to push through every single day.


	15. sacrifice

**A/N:** Sorry for not updating in a long time! I went back to my home in India and was super busy with wedding preparations and meeting more of my family and chilling and other stuff that I didn't even have time to write. I'm unfortunately back now, but it means I can write!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own KND!

Unedited as alwaysss so it's probably not going to make sense BUT everything goes downhill from here. This fanfic has become super complicated so after it's done I need to do some major re-working. I'm also not really interested in writing this anymore so like I have no idea. I really want to finish this though because it's about my fave couple in KND!

* * *

 _Chapter 15: Operation S.A.C.R.I.F.I.C.E_

"Um, Kuki? I, uh, I—I gotta tell ya somethin-"

"Oh, there you are, mister!" Kuki spun around, shoulders exaggeratedly sagging in relief as a bright, cheerful smile appeared on her face. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"You hav— _WOAH!"_

She didn't wait for him to finish as she dragged him out of the treehouse by his arm and down the street.

"Kuki, uh, where are ya takin' me?" he asked, eyes wide.

"I know you're upset, so I wanted to take you out for some fresh air!"

"But fresh air ain't gonna fix anythin'," he mumbled to himself.

"Then maybe you just need a hug from Mr. Flopsywapsipus! He makes me feel better when I'm feeling sad!"

"NO!" His eyes widened in fear just at the mention of that bear. "I don't want that big, dumb cruddy bear anywhere near me!"

Seeing Kuki's lower lip tremble and her eyes well up with tears, he groaned.

 _This is just great!_ he thought, bitterly.

"Ah look, don't cry, alroight? I was just kiddin'!"

She stopped her incessant sniffling to look up at him, her dark orbs glittering.

"I like fresh air?" he offered, unsure of what exactly to say. She beamed, the tears practically vanishing as if it had never existed.

"I knew it would do the trick! Fresh air and my Rainbow Monkeys always make me happy again after a long day, you know. Maybe if you weren't so stubborn, you would actually enjoy it too!"

Wally rolled his eyes as soon as she looked away and up at the night sky.

He fixed his eyes at the side of her head and his lips tilted up into a friendly, affectionate smile.

The smile soon disappeared when silence settled over him and his stomach began grinding in nervousness. It had come to the time of finally telling Kuki the truth.

It was time to tell her about his old feelings for her and how those feelings were suddenly aimed at Abby.

And growing stronger each day.

Wally clenched his fists in his pockets and cleared his throat, glancing down at his feet and then up at her. She beamed, but there was a sparkle missing in her eyes that he used to love. There was something up with her, too; he could tell.

"Well, um, Kuki, like I said...I gotta tell ya somethin," he began, voice trembling with hesitation.

Kuki nodded, urging him to continue, though something about her countenance made it seem like she already knew what was coming.

"I, uh...I used to like ya, ya know?" he said, barely above a whisper. Then at the blank look on her face, added quickly, "Like, like-like ya."

Her eyes widened briefly. "Like-like?"

"Yeah."

"You mean like, like-like, _like-like?_ "

He closed his eyes longer than it took the time to blink, reining in his temper. He wanted nothing more than to smash his head against the floor at the embarrassment of saying it out loud.

"Yes," he said through clenched teeth. "I like-like, _like-liked_ ya."

It was silent between them after that and he cleared his suddenly dry, itchy throat. The words he wanted to say were struggling to come out – how could he tell the girl he had practically been in love with half his life, that he didn't feel the same anymore?

It was so hard, especially now that he knew that she actually had felt the same.

"I-I used ta like-like ya but...a lotta things happened. I...I thought ya liked Numbuh 1 and I was jealous so I ignored ya and the team. I became depressed and no one noticed but Abby. She was there for me when none of you were. I know ya didn't mean ta but..." He stared at his shoes as he shuffled his feet, awkwardly. "it just sorta happened by itself. And before I knew it, I couldn't stop starin' at 'er and feelin' all weird and stuff – how I used ta feel when I looked at you."

His eyes averted from the dark, concrete floor to Kuki's dull, glazed ones. They were brimming with tears and her full, plump lips were pulled down into a frown that looked more like a pout. Wally resisted the urge to wince; he didn't want to hurt her, that wasn't his intention at all.

Heart squeezing in sympathy for what could have been had he known sooner, his arms lifted to reach out to her.

But he quickly put them down, purely because he didn't want to give her the wrong message.

Awkwardly, he said, "I-I'm sorry, Ku-"

"Don't be silly, Numbuh 4!" she forced out, her voice coming out in choked garbles. "Why're you apologising? You make it sound as if I like you or something!" She let out a tiny scoff and turned away, but he caught sight of her wet eyes, twinkling in the moonlight.

Kuki sniffled softly and lifted up her sweater-ed hand to rub at her face.

Wally's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Kuki..." his voice trailed off as she shook her head furiously.

"I'm really happy for you, both," she said, flashing him a smile that had no crinkle at the corner of her eyes. "Numbuh 5 is awesome and so are...you. So you both go together really well!"

She giggled, the sound coming out forced and strangled. "Anyway, I gotta go now!" Without letting him see her face, she speed-walked away.

He could only watch with his mouth wide open and his shoulders slumped in defeat as Kuki became a green blur in the distance.

Wally had ruined things.

Like always.

 _But Kuki'll come 'round,_ he told himself, pursed lips twisted to the side in deep thought. _Roight?_

* * *

Kuki hadn't come around.

She had stuck to avoiding him like the plague, much like Abby. Speaking of the mocha-skinned girl, he hadn't had the chance to tell her how he was feeling.

Every time they would accidentally make eye contact after being caught out for staring at her for far too long, he would chicken out like some wimp. If nothing was done soon, then it would be like the Kuki situation, where he would have to stick with shoving his feelings deep down and wondering whether she liked him or not and never having it go anywhere.

Wally knew one thing for sure: he didn't want to move on from Abby.

 _Ugh, and don't get me started on Kuki,_ he thought, gingerly.

He shuddered thinking about all the times he bumped into her and would begin to apologise and how she would run away like the time he thought he had cooties. It was frustrating and upsetting, just thinking about how two out of the four people he valued in his life couldn't even stand him anymore.

The only thing that made him feel a little better, was the fact that Abby was actually talking to him. Not as much as they were before but it was progress and he was happy.

Not that he listened to anything she said. He just liked staring at her face while she talked.

And maybe her lips.

He sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time that day, and Abby turned to look at him. Fighting back an embarrassed flush, he shot her a tentative half-smile.

"What?"

"You've been sighing ever since we got here. You okay?" she asked, softly.

Wally blinked. He glanced over at Kuki who still refused to acknowledge his existence and chatted animatedly with Hoagie as if nothing had happened. He then looked back at Abby.

They were currently on another mission because they were given information that very morning about how the Delightful Children were planning something devious at their house.

So there they were, on a Friday afternoon, in the Delightful Children's large, empty, dark house.

"Uh, yeah. I'm foine."

"Ya sure?"

He bit down on his lip to stop himself from smiling like an idiot. Just having her ask him small questions like that caused his heart to speed up like a motorcycle.

"Y-yeah."

A soft snicker caught Wally's attention and when he glanced over in the direction he had heard it come from, he gripped his M.U.S.K.E.T tightly. He glowered at a red-faced Hoagie whose lips had broke into a teasing smile, with one corner hinting upwards.

As Kuki and Abby went ahead, focusing on the mission at hand, Hoagie leaned in towards the blond.

"Sooooo."

Wally tried not to look at him, feeling his piercing gaze in the side of his head. "Sooooo."

"...You tell her yet?"

"Well, I-I, uh—no?"

Hoagie's shoulders comically slumped and his face sagged. "Are you going to?"

"Yeah, maybe," he replied with a pained grimace, not wanting to continue the conversation when Abby was within earshot.

"Numbuh 4, you really sh-"

"Can we talk about this some other time?!" he hissed through clenched teeth, a muscle in his cheek twitching.

Hoagie jerked back, eyes wide. "Geez, alright! I was just asking anyway, sheesh, why'd you gotta ruin my fun?" he mumbled.

"Are ya fools comin' or not?!" Abby whisper-yelled from a few feet away.

In an instant, Wally and Hoagie were both at her and Kuki's side. The Japanese girl looked around, unfamiliar in the part of the house they were in. Currently, they were leaning against the wall of the many hallways that lead to yet another hallway and many more rooms.

"I forgot about how scary this place is," she muttered, holding her weapon close to her chest just in case.

"So did I," Hoagie mumbled in reply before glancing at Abby and asking in scepticism, "Uh, Numbuh 5, do you know where we're going? My conscience says we shouldn't be heading this way."

"Well, your conscience is a liar. Numbuh 5 knows what she's doing, boy."

Though they had been there plenty of times to destroy various plans, the house was still too big and dark to navigate.

Of course that meant they got lost.

Multiple times.

"Ya know, the whole point of splittin' up is to actually split up," Wally deadpanned after a few seconds, glaring at the three members.

Abby shot him a pointed look. "Shut yo trap, fool. You were the one complainin' in the first place!"

He pressed his lips tightly together, recalling the morning's events. Nigel had originally told them all to split up, with Kuki and Wally going in one direction and Abby and Hoagie going in another.

But of course, for some reason, Wally had thrown a fit about it, forgetting that he was already in deep, troubled waters with Kuki.

Not even realising that she was getting hurt, he had continued with his complaint about how the partners for splitting up were always the same. Then, when Abby offered for both him and Kuki to come with him, he got grumpy about it.

"I wasn't complainin'! I was just statin' facts," Wally mumbled, irritated, breaking into her thoughts.

"Well, we're all together now," Kuki said, still not looking at him.

"Yeah, exactly. You got what you wanted, Numbuh 4."

"This isn't what I wanted!"

"Well, too bad."

"Shut up, Numbuh 2. I wasn't talkin' to ya!"

"You don't have to be talking to me for me to say something!"

"Will the both of ya just shuddup?!" Abby whisper-yelled, whipping her head back to look at the bickering kids.

They all instantly fell silent at her glare; she paid close attention to Wally who frowned deeply and glared at the floor.

She wanted to ask what was up with him, but she knew she had to focus on the mission at hand. Saving kids and stopping the Delightful Children were more important than anything. Shaking her head, she turned back around.

The S.P.I.C.E.R was held tightly against her chest as she slowly tip-toed across one of the many hallways in the house, the others following closely behind, looking this way and that.

They each kicked down the closed doors, only to find them empty and dark. Abby's stomach began churning, warning her of something.

She narrowed her eyes.

"Hmm, somethin' fishy's going on down here. Numbuh 5 can just feel it."

Hoagie shuddered, his voice going a little high. "Me too. This place is giving me the creeps."

"The Delightful Dweebs aren't even 'ere, those little wimps," Wally grumbled, tightening his hold on his weapon. "Do ya think they knew we were comin'?"

"They couldn't have," Hoagie replied. "We're always one step ahead of them."

"Numbuh 5, come in."

Abby pressed a hand against her ear where her earpiece was situated.

"What is it, Numbuh 1?"

"Have you spotted the Delightful Children anywhere?" his tone was slightly on edge as he asked this question, furthering Abby's suspicions.

"There ain't anyone here. But Numbuh 5 feels like this is all _too_ planned."

"I was just having the same thought." Nigel let out a sigh, muffling the radio a bit and causing static. "Stick close and keep a lookout for those Delightful Dorks. We'll meet downstairs for a quick debrief. I have a feeling this is a trap."

"You got it, Numbuh 1."

She turned to address the others. Both Wally and Hoagie looked at her, awaiting her orders.

"Alright, guys-"

Abby froze. She stuck her head out further to look behind Wally, only to see nothing but darkness.

"-where's Numbuh 3?" she asked, slowly.

Both Wally and Hoagie whirled around to see that their Japanese friend was nowhere to be found. Hoagie let out a little yelp.

"N-Numbuh 3?" he whispered into the dark abyss of the hallway. Abby slapped him upside the head.

"She won't hear you if you're whisperin' like that, you fool!"

"Well, I'm sorry. I'm panicking, okay?!"

Wally ran his hand through his hair, obviously in distress.

"Kuki's gone?" he whispered, seemingly to himself.

Abby stepped towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder in an effort to calm him down. They had to set their differences aside, at least for the sake of the mission. Plus, she knew how much he liked her, even if that thought hurt her.

"Numbuh 5 knows she's alright, Wally. Numbuh 3 couldn't have gotten far."

He shook his head. "No! They took 'er! I know they did. What if they hurt 'er or somethin'?!"

"She probably just wandered off into some other room. The Delightful Children are nowhere to be found, so they can't have taken her."

Wally seemed to relax a little, even though his eyes were still dilated with panic. To find Kuki, they stealthily went from room to room.

Only to turn up empty-handed.

Now even Abby was starting to freak out.

"Okay, well, Numbuh 3's probably dead-"

" _Numbuh 2!"_

"What?! I said I was panicking!"

"Well, panic to yourself, then, boy," she said through gritted teeth, pointedly looking at Wally who had suddenly blanched.

"Oh. Whoops?" Hoagie said, letting out a sheepish laugh.

Abby wasn't liking how pale the Australian boy was getting; it looked like he was about to either faint or have a heart attack.

It was strange to see the ever strong and fierce Wallabee Beatles look like he was going to have a panic attack.

 _Guess that's what love does to ya,_ she thought, slightly bitter.

"Look, Wally. Numbuh 3's fine. We'll find her!"

"I-It's ma fault that she's kidnapped. I shouldn't have been so rude to 'er. I've been ignorin' 'er and hurtin' 'er because I..." he trailed off, glancing at Abby before looking down at the floor.

His blond bangs covered his face, but his clenched fists were an indication of his growing frustration.

Abby raised both eyebrows and shared a sceptical glance with Hoagie. "Boy, this is no time to be blamin' yourself! We don't even know if she's actually kidnapped or not. Don't worry, she's-"

"Foine?" Wally suddenly blurted out angrily, eyes darkening as he glared up at the girl. Abby took a step back in shock. "Is that what you were gonna say?"

"Well, Numbuh 5's just sayin' not to worry."

"How can I not worry when Kuki just got cruddy _kidnapped_?!"

His bitter voice rang throughout the entire hallway and Hoagie flinched.

"Guys, you might wanna be a _little_ quiet-"

"Why are you yelling at Numbuh 5, boy?! I'm just trying to help," Abby cut him off, seemingly ignoring Hoagie's presence altogether.

"Well, you ain't," he snapped in reply. "Yer makin' things worse by saying things are gonna be foine when they're not. Kuki just got kidnapped and we have no idea where those dumb Delightful cruddy dorks are!"

Wally breathed heavily through his nostrils, chest heaving and fists trembling at his sides. Abby didn't know what to say or do. It was the first time she had seen him so angry and at her, too.

She knew that it was only because Kuki was gone, that he wasn't actually mad at _her_. But still, she felt attacked and betrayed, but most of all, hurt that Wally would take it out on her.

Abby was wise enough not to take it to heart, but that didn't mean it hurt any less.

"Guys, stop fighting!" Hoagie came in between them. "Look, we still need to find Numbuh 1 and the sooner we do that, the sooner we can find Numbuh 3! Like I said before, this hallway is giving the creeps so it's best if we leave _now_."

Abby turned to address Hoagie, ignoring the fuming blonde behind him. He needed some time to cool down, she knew that much.

He was hot-headed by nature, anyway, so it wasn't like she was necessarily surprised at his outburst in general.

She wasn't mad at him or anything, but it took all her will-power not to slap him upside the head with her cap.

"Alright, Numbuh 2. Let's go."

She could feel Wally's gaze on the side of her head as she quietly led them downstairs.

"Numbuh 1!" Hoagie screamed as soon as they met up in the living room, flailing his arms. "Numbuh 3's gone and-"

"I know."

"Wait, what?"

Nigel waved a little tablet in their direction, face grim and lips pulled into a taut line. A holographic message from the Delightful Children popped up.

"Why, hello, Kids Next Door. I see you have paid a visit to our humble abode once again," they said in unison, an unsettling smirk framing their mouths.

Wally scowled.

"But unfortunately for you, you have stumbled upon our very well-done trap and Kuki Sanban just happens to be a big part of it. Your friend has kindly offered to be our guinea pig for an experiment. And what is this experiment you ask?"

They let out a cackle, their heads thrown back.

"We are going to erase the memories of the best unit of the KND. If you don't know the existence of the KND then you cannot defeat us. And when you go down, the Kids Next Door will be weak and vulnerable and will be easy to manipulate!"

"I didn't even know we were the best unit," Wally mumbled. Abby rolled her eyes; of course, both he and probably Kuki wasn't aware of that fact but everyone else was.

Especially the Delightful Children who clearly would stop at nothing to get rid of them.

The plan they had come up with was just as dumb as all the other ones. Abby knew in her heart that they wouldn't succeed — they were the best unit for a reason and they sure as heck weren't going to win.

"You see, even if the plan of destroying the KND fails, at least it means you annoying pests won't be coming after us after your little memory wipe. So, it's a win-win situation for all of us, don't you think?"

After another cackle, the holographic message fizzed our and an eerie silence enveloped the team.

Wally scowled. "Where are ya, ya cowards?!"

"Uh, Numbuh 4," Hoagie whispered, leaning to the side, "this is a holographic message."

"So?!"

"So, they can't hear you."

"Oh," he said, lamely before groaning in frustration. "Well, crud! How're we gonna find Kuki then?!"

"We will find her, Numbuh 4, don't worry. The Delightful Children won't get away with this."

Nigel closed the holographic message and turned to face his team.

"But still, we know what's at stake team. We will get Numbuh 3 back but make sure to kick those Delightful Dork's butts so hard, it'll be sore for a whole month."

They cheered and whooped, with Wally mumbling under his breath, "We bettah or I'm givin' them a great big whoopin' of ma own."

All of a sudden, as if his words prompted it, the room completely shifted, bright pixels fading away to reveal a large, dark and empty room. The Delightful Children stood in the corner with venomous smirks on their faces, their eyes glinting with a ferociousness the KND were used to seeing.

However, this time it felt a little different and Hoagie pointed that very fact out.

"Uh...this is new," he whispered to Abby who looked around, wondering what kind of craziness they had come up with now.

Wally's eyes immediately shifted to the middle where a large ray was situated, and his eyes travelled to the figure it was pointing at.

 _Kuki._

"Kuki!?"

At his exclaim, all of the members' heads turned to where he was staring at. Kuki lay on the floor, eyes closed with dirt on her face.

Her hands and feet were tied to a metal bench to stop her from escaping. Hoagie let out a little yelp whereas Wally instantly began scowling, his face turning red and his enclosed fists shaking to the point where Abby looked afraid herself.

"Let 'er go, you dorks!"

"Or what, Wallabee Beatles?"

Without any warning, he ran at them full speed and began throwing rapid punches. They were hit once or twice but then began to predict his rage that was fuelled by pain and sadness than anything practical.

Which caused him to be kicked right back to the feet of the KND.

Abby stared down at him, almost pitifully and he hated how much that look got to him. It made him feel like she understood how he was feeling but she couldn't.

He was hurt and annoyed at himself for being such a careless little brat and for ignoring Kuki the way he did.

He had spent all his time with Abby that he completed neglected the first girl he had ever really connected with.

Even though they were polar opposites, obviously their attraction for each other and the goodness that they found was enough to overcome everything else.

Wally had tears in his eyes and seeing this, Abby stepped forward.

"Let the girl go, Delightful Children."

"Sure. While you're at it, you can also grab the antidote off us."

Nigel rolled his eyes after a second of silence.

"You're not going to let her go, are you?" he asked, monotone.

"Of course not, Nigel. I didn't think you were that stupid."

"You were stupid enough to reveal yourselves before doing the deed and stupid enough to both reveal the fact that you had an antidote. Besides, why make an antidote in the first place?"

"Well, we needed to test it out on someone, and who better than one of us? And the antidote was so we would come back safely with all of our memories intact."

Nigel kept quiet as to not point out the fact that they could easily get the antidote and cure whatever mishap would go on. If he said anything, he knew that they would destroy it and any chances of a plan B in case things went awry.

"Whatever. Just let her go, you creeps. This has gone too far and you know it, too."

"Too far? You know we've gone further than this, before. Besides, did you really think we were just going to hand her over to you without a fight? Silly Nigel."

The bald boy made an irritated noise in the back of his throat. "Fine. If it's a fight you dweebs want, then it's a fight you'll get. Kids Next Door, BATTLE STATIONS!"

They all got into their positions and ran full charge with Wally ahead of them all, lips pulled back into a ferocious snarl that resembled an animal's.

"I said let 'er go, ya freaks!"

With that, he jumped on them and the others with their weapons began attacking, trying not to hit an angry and upset Wally in the process. One of the Delightful Children grabbed Wally and turned him into a shield for some time before shoving him away.

By that time, he was deflated from the random punching. Nigel and the others were bested by the weapons that they had stolen from Wally in the meantime.

Abby shot Wally an irritated look but she knew he couldn't be blamed.

They were all worried about Kuki and he had every right to be angry.

The Delightful Children cackled as they pointed the S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R at them. "You dweebs didn't think you'd beat this plan of ours, did you? This took months! It's foolproof and not even a fool like Wally could fight his way through it."

"Your plan may be perfect. But did you realise that you're not?"

"Huh?" They straightened up, gun lowering for a second as they contemplated the odd question raised by Abby. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Using that second to her advantage, she grabbed her S.P.I.C.E.R and sprayed it on their faces.

"Now, guys!"

Nigel and Hoagie ran over to help Kuki as the others screamed.

"It burns! My eyes!" Regardless of the pain they seemed to be in, they managed to stumble over to a large button near the ray and pressed down on it causing the ray to hum as it powered up.

Abby's eyes widened as a large green bolt came shooting out of the ray. Instincts took over reason and she found herself leaping off the floor and towards the others, and just in time too. Right when she shoved them away, she became the target instead and got blasted by the laser in a matter of seconds.

All she could feel was a surge of hot air and a quick weight to her body as the force caused her to fly into the wall behind her. Her mind felt fuzzy and her body felt thin as if she was floating on air.

Her vision became blurry and just when she was about to close her eyes, the green filling her vision faded. The next thing she remembered was her falling limply to the ground with no control, the last sight being of her teammates staring at her horrified—Wally, more than the others, pale and frenzied.

And then everything went black.


	16. wiped

**_A/N:_** Sorry for the late update again and sorry again because this is ridiculously short!

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothinggggggg.

* * *

 ** _Chapter 16: Operation W.I.P.E.D_**

"Numbuh 5!" Wally found himself screaming, his voice echoing and bouncing off the walls of the dark room. He raced to where she lay, unmoving and pale. When he got to her, she had closed her eyes and her head fell back.

He had completely forgotten about Kuki as soon as everything had unfolded. It was like watching a movie. Everything went in slow motion as he watched Abby jump in front of the ray, basically sacrificing herself for them.

Wally couldn't even react in time. He cradled her in his shaking arms, her head on his lap.

"I-I love ya, Abs," he whispered in a frenzy, not even caring if the others managed to hear. They probably didn't because they were all busy crying their hearts out, too. It was the first time he had said those three very important words out loud and it brought him huge relief, but he wanted to say it to her face and when she was conscious enough to hear him.

Wally didn't care that he was probably too young to feel what he felt. But he knew it wasn't just a lousy crush. He knew he wanted to be with her for a long time. And he couldn't believe that this was what it took to get him to realise it.

 _If only_ _I_ _could see_ _'er_ _eyes look at_ _me_ _as if_ _I_ _was the most amusin' boy she had ever met...just one more time._

In a much louder voice, he said, "Abby, wake up."

When she remained silent, even though he had a gut feeling to what was happening, he began to panic, hands shaking. "Abs, c'mon, don't mess with me. Ya know this ain't funny," he said, forcing a humourless laugh.

The other members seemingly forgetting about the Delightful Children who were still writhing in pain because of their eyes, fell onto the floor, staring at Abby's unmoving body. Kuki, who was a little disoriented, had made sense of the situation way before anyone else and was weeping on the floor.

After a little bit of coaxing and a whole lot of shaking, Abby slowly opened her eyes. That alone, the fact that she was alive, was enough to bring relief to Wally and he felt the weight on his shoulders give way. Blinking, her dark chocolate eyes travelled from one person to the other.

But that weight came back as Wally noticed that there was practically no emotion on her face. It was as if they were strangers; she didn't seem to recognise them at all.

It was crushing, and he could feel his heart breaking in his chest as her eyes met with his. She didn't smile or smirk or make some smart comment.

She just stared at him with knitted brows and then looked down.

"Why's Abby layin' in yo lap? Who are you people?"

He heard Kuki gasp but it felt like the world had stopped for him. He had a feeling that this would be the outcome, but it was only when she said that that it made things real.

"Don't play around, Numbuh 5! Course you know who we are," Hoagie said, voice a little high-pitched and laced with worry.

"Numbuh 5?" Her eyebrows bunched together. "Who's that? I ain't got one clue to who youse are talkin' 'bout. My name's Abby."

Wally was feeling all sorts of emotions; raw, red-hot anger surged through his veins. He was upset and all he could hear was a constant, annoying ringing in his ears.

Despite their red and blurry eyes, the Delightful Children began to cackle cruelly.

"Well, would you look at that!? Our plan has finally wor— _ack!"_

Before they could finish their sentence, they were kicked in the face by a rage-filled Australian boy. There were tears in his eyes as he landed punch after punch, the others just watching on.

"How dare ya creepy freaks do that to 'er!? Bring 'er back, you stupid br-"

"Numbuh 4."

Nigel placed his hand on the blond's shoulder, a frown framing his lips.

"It's okay," he whispered, trying to calm the brash kid down. Wally landed one last punch and spat on the floor beside them as they writhed in pain. He then whipped around, face red and green eyes, molten.

"It ain't cruddy _okay_ , Numbuh 1! Numbuh 5's gone! Her...her memories are completely-" He stopped himself, biting down on his lower lip so hard that it shone with blood.

Hoagie was comforting a weeping Kuki, staring down at Abby who looked dumb-founded by what was going on around her.

"Can someone please tell Abby what's goin' on?" she said, her voice a little scratchy. "Yer all startin' to freak me out."

Everyone turned to stare at the dark-skinned girl who furrowed her eyebrows, looking around at them all.

* * *

"So, you're telling Abby that she's a part of an adult and teen fighting organisation called the Kids Next Door?"

"Exactly," Nigel confirmed, nodding his head.

Abby raised an eyebrow. She was the only one sitting on the couch, whereas the others were all standing in front of her in a horizontal line.

"Um," she let out a harsh sigh, straining to remember. "I got nothin'. It doesn't ring a bell, sorry." She shrugged, helplessly, rubbing her head as if it was physically hurting her. It wasn't like she wasn't trying, either. She was. But the problem was, she didn't know what she was trying for.

How could she try for something she didn't even remember or remember having any connection to? It was frustrating because she could see the genuine sadness and frustration on her supposed 'members' /'friends' faces, particularly the handsome blond who seemed to stare at her all the time.

It was strange, but it wasn't new.

The fluttering feeling in her stomach wasn't new, either—she could just tell. His gaze was enough to make her nervous, so she quickly looked away.

"Uh, Abby's a little tired," she whispered. "I'm gonna go to ma room to sleep." She got up but then froze. "Can one of ya tell Abby where her room is?"

Kuki stepped forward and volunteered, her face gloomy and grey as if she was in constant pain.

"I will," she said, her childish voice now sounding like a sad whine. She gestured for Abby to follow her and she did, quietly. It was silent as they trudged up the stairs to where Abby supposed her room was meant to be. She sighed, not liking the silence.

It made her feel like she was missing something and she already knew she was. The emptiness that she felt deep within her heart only worsened the more the time ticked by and it frustrated her to no end.

"Kuki," she began hesitantly, "is that your name?"

The Japanese girl looked like she was about to cry at the question, but instead, nodded, biting on her lip so that she could stop the whimper from leaving her lips.

"You all seem like really nice people." She tried her best to smile despite the tense situation. "And I really want to remember again. Will ya please help Abby?"

Kuki nodded her head frantically. "O-Of course, Numbuh 5! We're your friends so we'll do anything to help you. We all want you back." The girl hesitated before she smiled, warmly, eyes glassy. "Especially Wally."

Abby didn't know which one was Wally but a part of her, the part that knew the old her, hoped it was the blond. It was strange. These people were her supposed friends but she had no memories of them whatsoever. It was as if she was sharing a house with complete strangers.

She led her to her room and as Kuki turned to leave quietly, Abby whispered.

"I want me back, too."

She stayed cooped up in her room like that for what felt like hours. Abby stood and walked around, trying to find things, _anything_ that could help her and to find traces of her that she could connect to memories but there was nothing. It was as if she had lived a life without realising. She couldn't remember anything, not even her childhood.

Everything was like looking into a huge, fuzzy black hole.

Abby plopped onto the floor in a heap, staring at the ground, not knowing what else to do. She could hear the bald kid – Nigel was his name – yell out some instructions to the others and she felt left out of something she didn't remember but knew was important.

It made her feel useless and as if she was a burden. It felt horrible to not be able to do what she used to do, to help others as they told her she did.

 _Who am I? What am I even doing here?_

Abby wanted to be back to normal, to who she was again.

The tears came rushing down her cheeks faster than she could have blinked and she welcomed them. It gave her a sense of comfort and security that nothing else could have at that moment.

It was at that moment that she felt truly alone because no one really understood what she was going through. She felt like she didn't even deserve to call them her 'friends' because she didn't remember them. The door to her room was being gently knocked on and she looked up just in time to see the blonde boy from before who had been staring at her.

His green orbs were dull and red as their eyes met, and they became freshly glassy as she stared at him with nothing to say. She didn't recognise him, so what could she say?

"Um...hi, Numbuh 4, was it? Wait," she racked her brain, "Wally, right?"

Without another word, as if he was offended in some way, he shook his head and biting down on his bottom lip, he jerkily turned to leave, slamming the door. Abby stared at it wordlessly, tears springing to her eyes as she thought of the boy's lips twisting into something painful. She wasn't hurt at the way he had reacted because something told her she knew why he was so hurt.

They all were and she could see just how much they cared for her. She cared for them too, but it wasn't the same. His reaction was enough to show her that this was affecting them just as much as it was affecting her.

And she didn't know how she could help make them feel better when she didn't know how to feel better herself. Her life had been completely turned upside on its head and she didn't know what to do.


	17. remember

_**A/N:**_ Hey guys, I'm back yay! I didn't get to thank people in the last chapter because I forgot ;-; but not this time! Also, I have no idea what I wrote in this chapter so I'll probably have to come back to edit this properly.

 **Nari-nee-chan:** I'm glad I updated too! But thank you so much, I'm literally so happy you enjoyed that chapter! Hope you enjoy this one too xx

 **TheGreatestWriter:** love your name :p but yay, thank you for that. I didn't think I did a good job on portraying their feelings at all and thought I was just writing random stuff but I'm happy you were able to appreciate my efforts.

 **QueenDramaLlama:** This isn't the best KND fanfic at all because there are so many other ones that are amazing with authors who are actually creative haha, but thank you! Reading that made me smile so hard I thought my face was gonna break in half. Support like that means a lot to me xx

* * *

 _ **Chapter 17: Operation R.E.M.E.M.B.E.R**_

Even though life in the treehouse had significantly changed, Nigel and the others never stopped looking for an antidote for Abby. The latter even went on solo missions to retrieve it but he never said anything about whether he found one or not. He just silently walked into his room each and every time and shut the door behind him.

Wally could feel the tension and the grief that everyone was emitting, even him. It was practically engulfing the treehouse almost every day and he was probably feeling it the worst out of all of them. Although, he could argue that Abby was taking it even harder than all of them combined. But then again, why should he expect anything from her? How could she miss them if she didn't even remember them?

That thought always hit him hard. Not being able to joke around with Abby made his heart tighten and the coil in his chest to tighten slowly as if torturing him. It was what kept him awake at night; the thought of the girl he loved not ever remembering the things they said and did together.

They were all small things but they shared moments together that he could only dream of doing once upon a time with Kuki. With Abby, it came naturally. And everything had been destroyed just as he had realised his feelings for her and now...he didn't even think he would be able to ask her if she ever, even just a little bit, felt something for him, too.

As Abby came down, he was shaken from his thoughts. The others turned and grinned, making jokes and making it seem as normal as they could so that she didn't feel out of place or upset in any way. Wally tried but it just didn't feel the same, knowing that she wasn't truly _their_ Abby. It was like talking to another person, someone in her body. She was still as kind and as motherly as always but there was also a gap or a distance between them that was normally present with a stranger as if a big chunk of something was missing. He hated torturing himself with the thought; the events of what had happened replayed in his head like a broken video.

Though they were all hurting on the inside, the last thing they wanted was to have a flashback to what had happened over and over again. The best thing they could do was move on and help her remember. Wally wanted nothing more than for her to remember.

"Ooh, remember this Numbuh 5?" Kuki exclaimed with a bright grin on her face as she picked up a pancake with her fork. "You used to make the best pancakes for us!"

Wally nearly face-palmed at this; she couldn't possibly remember making pancakes if the pancakes that were in front of them weren't even hers. _Wait, could she?_

His lips were twisted into a frown and he didn't even realise that Abby was staring at him until she spoke up. "Did you like them?"

"Huh—what?" He blinked.

"Did you like the pancakes Abby used ta make?"

He found himself grinning widely, just delighted at the fact that she was finally making conversation with him. And willingly!

"Well, duh, course I cruddy did. They were the best!" He turned to the others, the others being Hoagie and Kuki as Nigel had once again left for his solo mission, and they all nodded in agreement.

" _My_ pancakes," Hoagie quipped in, "aren't nearly as good as yours, though. I think you should be the one in charge of breakfast from now on so you can make those awesome pancakes!" The boy instantly cringed when Abby's smile faltered. Wally shot a 'what the crud' look at the boy with the goggles who shrugged sheepishly, mouthing a 'sorry'.

Wally facepalmed as the boy then eyed Kuki who frowned as she chewed, stabbing at the second pancake lying flat on the plate. Abby quickly recovered, seemingly unaware of the other three in their own worlds and silently communicating with each other, cutting a piece and eating it herself.

"Abby, unfortunately, doesn't remember the recipe but still, this sure tastes good to me," she replied with a smile after swallowing. Hoagie returned it, straightening up as he grinned. "I mean, it could be better." At his frown, they all burst out laughing and Wally couldn't help but glance at her, watching to make sure she was okay.

Ever since he had confessed to himself that he loved her, he couldn't stop thinking about her. Or staring at her. Though she was smiling brightly, he knew her well enough to know, memories gone or not, that she was hiding how she was truly feeling on the inside.

Wally resisted the urge to sigh and plastered a smile. "Abs—Abby—" he quickly corrected, "did ya wanna go out somewhere today?"

She stopped chewing and looked up at him for a few seconds. It was as if she was contemplating whether or not it was safe and just the thought made his heart shatter once again into a million pieces. With a shaky smile, he shook his head, head full of blond hair flopping about with the action.

"Never min-"

"Abby'd love ta," she said, cutting him off. He snapped his head up, eyes wide as he stared at her, not sure if he had heard right.

"Uh, whaddja say?"

"I said I'd love ta go with ya, boy."

"Oh," he mumbled. He hadn't processed what had just happened until Hoagie kicked his foot from under the table. The blond yelped as he jolted in his chair. At the look everyone was giving him, he bit down on his lip, shooting a sharp glare at the boy who continued eating as if nothing had happened. He turned to Abby quickly, forcing a smile. "I-I mean, great! I can't wait!"

Wally quickly stood up and limped over to the kitchen to put his used plate back before racing, still with a limp, to his room, trying to calm his racing heart down. He made it his mission to help her regain her memories, even if it was through something as small as a trip to the amusement park and the beach for ice cream like they used to. Wally hoped the trip was just as much an important memory as it was to him, though he hadn't seen it like that at first. With determination, he freshened up early to get ready for his not-so-date.

"So, where ya taking me?" Abby asked as they got off the bus. Wally shoved his hands in his pockets, both excitement and fear overwhelming him. He wondered how she would react once he told her that they had been here plenty of times together.

He wondered if she would finally remember him.

Letting out a slow sigh, he jerked his head towards the amusement park, the Ferris wheel twinkling as the sun began to set. They only had an hour left until it would close for the day but it was better than nothing.

Wally heard Abby take a sharp breath of air as her eyes widened. "Woah. That looks beautiful," she whispered.

"It sure does," he mumbled back, the blissful look on her face bringing hope within him again. He mustered the confidence to gently grab her hand as to not startle her and tugged her towards a ride. "You wanna go on it?"

She glanced over his shoulder and then looked at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Sure thang, boy. Let's do it."

Wally couldn't stop the wide grin on his face as they both climbed into the ride. Several rides later, they got off and laughed at each other's state and ruffled hair. Abby was bent over, pointing at Wally's hair that looked like he had rubbed a hundred balloons against his hair for it to stick up as it did.

He narrowed his eyes at her, lips pursed. "Shuddup, will ya?!" he snapped as he tried to flatten his hair down. She just shook her head.

"No way. You look ridiculous!"

"Whatever," he mumbled, rolling his eyes even though a small smile tugged at his lips. The awkward silence that had been engulfing them before had soon disappeared and they were talking like they used to. Wally couldn't be happier but didn't want to mention anything in case her mood would dampen about the thought of her old self.

As they went to sit down on a bench, Wally grabbed her hand and guided her in the opposite direction. Her eyebrows furrowed but he ignored it, eagerly walking ahead.

"Where you taking me now, boy?"

"Ta the beach. It's roight there!" They went from walking to running and by the time they got there, she was panting. But, Wally didn't care about that. He raced forward without her and to the ice cream truck that had was getting ready to leave.

"Oi! Wait!" he yelled from behind as he pumped his legs faster to get to it. When the truck abruptly stopped, he nearly fell onto the floor to kiss it but then straightened up as he realised that he needed to be quick.

The man behind the small window in the truck glanced down at him, eyebrows raised in irritation. "What do you want, kid?"

"Uh, ice cream? That's what you guys sell, roight?" he asked, sarcastically.

The man heaved out a heavy sigh and stared at him owlishly. Wally knit his eyebrows at his odd behaviour but shook it off. He wasn't there to wonder about the weird man. Abby and him having a good time together was the main priority.

"Oi, Abs, c'mere!" He didn't even hesitate to call her by the nickname. The more he called her like he used to instead of treating her like a stranger, the better and faster she would remember. At least, he hoped. Abby didn't look at him immediately, not until he called her once more. She probably didn't associate the nickname to herself just yet, but she would. She would remember.

He was cruddy sure of it.

He plastered a smile. "Whaddya want?"

Abby turned to look at the list glued to the side of the truck and bit her lip, eyes travelling over each word. Wally stared at her as if he was piercing a hole through her.

 _C'mon, ya know what ya want, Abs. Say pistachio. C'mon._ He muttered those words over and over under his breath until she looked up at the man.

"Can I please get Rocky Road?"

Those words caused Wally's shoulders to slump in disappointment and he shut his eyes tightly. _Of course, she wasn't just going to ord-_

"Oh, wait, nevermind, could I get the pistachio ice cream, instead?"

For a few seconds, it didn't register until the man reached down to hand her the creamy, green ice cream. Wally stared at her, eyes wide and unable to keep the grin, that was slowly appearing, off his face.

Abby looked at him with furrowed eyebrows, confused and slightly worried. "What, boy? Why ya staring at Abby like that?"

He nearly let out a disbelieving laugh. "Ya ordered that disgustin' pistachio ice cream!" It wasn't as if ordering pistachio ice cream was a big deal in general, but it was to him. It was her favourite ice cream flavour. It couldn't be a coincidence. He wouldn't believe that. Unless the memory wiping machine left out her favourite ice cream flavour, he knew that this was a step in the right direction.

She blinked at him as if he was crazy. "I'm guessin' you ain't too fond of pistachio?"

"Nah. Hate it!" he said with too much cheer. "Why'd ya order it, Abs?"

Shrugging she went to open her mouth when she hesitated. It was as if she was confused to why as well. "I...I don't know. One minute, I wanted to eat Rocky Road but somethin' in me was telling me to order pistachio. I think it..." she looked up at him then, eyes glazed over and he clenched his jaw to stop tearing up himself.

"Do ya remember?" he whispered, urging her to with his gaze. She just stared at him silently, afraid to speak. "We used to do this from time ta-"

"You gonna order or not, kid?" The man in the ice cream truck asked as he looked between the two weirdly.

Wally sucked in a sharp breath, suddenly annoyed by the interruption. He shot a sharp glare at the man, fists clenched. "Nah, I ain't so shuddup, ya old fart!" The man just stared at him with wide eyes as the boy fished out some money from his pockets and slapped it onto the small space provided.

Grabbing Abby's hand, he tugged her to a bench near the beach and the amusement park, the one where they had sat that day when they caught Nigel on a date with Lizzie. She licked her ice cream hesitantly and then shuddered. Wally didn't say anything and stared out in front of him, his hopes deflating like a balloon as time slowly ticked by.

That was until she spoke up.

"This is...this is Abby's favourite flavour," she looked at him expectantly, "right?"

He glanced at her, unsure of how to feel. Did she say that because he had pushed her to or because she actually remembered? He didn't know what to say, wanting _her_ to know for herself.

"Whaddya think, Abs? Do ya remember anythin'?"

Her face scrunched up as if she was in physical pain before she shook her head with a sigh of resignation. "Not much, boy. But...this feels familiar. Abby don't have a clue to why or if she's makin' things up but it does. The feelings just eating this gives me must mean something to my old self. It has to."

"Or it could just be cuz ice cream tastes awesome," Wally quipped in with a shrug. Abby chuckled at that.

"Yeah, that's possible." They settled into silence; he had expected too much from her. Obviously, she wasn't going to remember anything as quickly as he had hoped. It was a slow process. Who knew if she would ever get it back?

 _No!_ He couldn't think like that. He wasn't gonna. Things were gonna be fine and he was gonna make sure of it.

"But do ya remember anythin' else?"

She remained silent for a little while before speaking up. "Sittin' here with you and spendin' time with ya feels familiar. I ain't too sure but we've done this before a lot, haven't we?"

He perked up at this and stared at her, eyes wide. "Yeah, we have!" He let out a disbelieving laugh. "We sat roight here the last time when Numbuh 1 came over and we've talked 'bout the randomest things evah!" Another bout of laughter left his parted lips. "Ya remember! Well, sort of, but it's bettah than nothin'!"

He pumped his fist into the air, feeling hopeful for the days to come and a grin curved her full lips as she watched him smile goofily on behalf of her. It wasn't much of a development but even if it was small, it was still something.

And he couldn't be any prouder of her. "I can't believe it, Abs-I mean Abby," he faltered, trying not to let his stumble get in the way of his celebration. Abby looked at him with those gentle ink-black eyes that not only seemed to shine with a bright intensity but always threatened to devour him.

"Ya can call me Abs, boy." She grinned. "I like it."

Suddenly full of the joys of spring, Wally beamed at her.

* * *

A few days later, after a mission and a 'sub-mission' as the bald boy called it, they had come back to the treehouse to relax, chattering amongst themselves. They stopped once they saw Abby and smiled, waving at her.

Not once did they speak about what they did on their sub-missions around her; she assumed it was to find the cure for her missing memories. It made sense to why they didn't want to speak of it in case it triggered bad 'memories' of what had happened.

Which, since she didn't actually remember it, she didn't think she would really be upset or all that mad about.

Kuki and Wally randomly chattered to her about all the butt-kicking and the people that begged for their lives to be spared and she couldn't help but laugh at Wally's narration, especially. He was always animated, standing on the couch to demonstrate and wave his arms freely around. His jade orbs always seemed to glow whenever she smiled and listened attentively.

She didn't understand why but it made her feel special. They all did.

Whilst Nigel retreated to his room silently as he always did, everyone else did their own thing. Wally had calmed down and was reading a comic book, Kuki was on the floor playing games with her Rainbow Monkeys and Hoagie was just tweaking some technology that he apparently used in battle.

Abby was glad that no one talked about her loss of memories. Even though she didn't remember anything up to the point where her memories were erased, she was glad that they weren't trying to make her feel bad about not remembering them. They tried to speak to her normally, even if they did bring up the occasional 'oh, remember this' and 'remember that'. It was always unintentional; the flush of their cheeks and the wince that would follow confirmed that it was.

It did cause a familiar twinge of pain to strike at her heart, though. Abby wasn't able to join in the conversations where they would reminiscence or make a joke that was known by them all. They didn't make her feel like she was missing out, not intentionally, but Abby made it her mission to make herself feel bad. She didn't understand how she could forget these people who loved each other and even her like family.

It wasn't fair to them. She could tell they were hurting just as much as she was; she hated being the victim.

Whilst they all did their own thing, Abby got up and walked down to Nigel's front door wanting to go out for some fresh air. When she opened the door, to her confusion, a blond boy – a teenager – with electric crystal blue eyes stared back at her, fist raised up as if to knock on the door. He let his hand fall limply beside him as he peered into her eyes. Then, shoving his hands into his pockets, he grinned at her.

"Hey, kid."

She furrowed her eyebrows, suddenly feeling defensive. She had never seen this boy before, though his face and his manner of speaking felt familiar. It didn't give her a good feeling, though. Her brain was sending her signals, like a warning for her to stay away.

"Uh, hey? Who are ya?"

The boy raised his eyebrow as if he wasn't sure if she was joking or not. "You playing a prank on me or something?"

Abby didn't say anything and stared back at him defiantly, wanting him to speak up. He only sighed, running a hand through his hair as he looked away.

"Right, I guess not. I thought this was just a rumour but I guess it's pretty serious, huh?"

"What? What are ya talkin' about, boy?"

He shrugged. "You don't show up to the fights anymore. Thought those Delightful Kids were lying about wiping your memory. Didn't think they'd ever get the upper hand against the Kids Next Dorks, to be honest."

Abby couldn't help but pierce him with a stare, fists shaking beside her. How could he mock her or her team like that? She didn't know who exactly they fought but the boy in front of her seemed to be trouble. "You know, Abby thinks it'd be best for ya if ya leave."

Instead of getting mad at her or leaving as she had expected, he smiled at her. A small, gentle smile that suddenly caught her off guard. The frown she had on her face slowly disappeared and her fists relaxed.

"I'm not trying to get you mad or anything. Just," he shrugged, "thought you'd need a friend during this time. Though we're actually anything but friends so don't go getting any ideas, kid. I just wanna help." He smirked as he gauged her reaction. "Name's Chad, by the way."

 _Chad...Chad? Why does that sound so familiar?_

Shaking the thought off, she studied him warily. "Abby."

He snorted, eyes flashing with slight amusement. "I know."

 _Right._ She felt a little foolish at that but straightened her shoulders to make sure he didn't catch her in a moment of vulnerability.

"Well, what do ya want, Chad?"

He shrugged for the billionth time. "Like I said, I thought you'd need a friend and some time to relax. So I wanted to invite you out to a party. After our talk down at the lake, I feel like we're close enough to hang out a little bit."

She narrowed her eyes. Of course, she didn't remember the talk down at the river but he wasn't someone she saw every day. How could she believe that he was trustworthy and part of their team? What if he was just making things up?

"Abby's fine hanging with the others here," she said.

His eyes flashed with a hint of amusement. "Ah, the other dorks. Well, the invite's still open. I'll be waiting here at seven and we'll go together. See ya." He shot her a breezy half-smile, the corner of his lips tilting up before he turned and walked away.

Abby watched as his figure disappeared around the corner, forgetting all about her plans to get some fresh air. Instead, she turned and robotically walked back to where the others were, unsure about what to do. It was only when Wally spoke up that she realised she had, without even knowing she did so, plopped onto the couch, staring mindlessly at the TV.

"Uh, Abs? You alroight?" he asked, his pear-green eyes looking up from his comic to focus on her. Though she didn't remember much, his gaze was familiar, even though she didn't understand why he was looking at her the way he did, she knew it wasn't new.

"Yeah. Abby's fine," she muttered, before shaking her head wanting to tell him the truth. "I just met a boy called Chad. Ya know him?"

Two heads snapped up to stare at her, eyes wide as soon as she uttered the boy's name. Wally's lips were set in a thin line soon after and his eyes narrowed.

"Why was that snot-bag 'ere?"

By their reactions, Abby could tell that he wasn't good news. She wasn't sure if she was to mention that he had also gone out of his way to invite her to a party. Would going be a betrayal?

Taking a deep breath, she decided to be honest. After all, they were all like family and she didn't want to ruin anything they seemed to have. "He invited me out to a party. Apparently, he knows all about what happened."

The others stiffened and shared a glance with each other before Hoagie got up and sprinted off. "I'll go get Numbuh 1!"

Kuki just stared at her, goggle-eyed as if she had seen a ghost. Wally just sat there, unmoving, however, she could see that his fists were clenched. As Nigel appeared, they all stared at him, unsure of what he would do.

He looked at her as he came and stood in front of her. "So, Chad invited you out to a party?"

"Yeah." She made eye contact with everyone. "Y'all look pale. Is he one of the bad guys?"

"Yes, he's one of our many enemies," Nigel said, putting his chin in his hand. "But a party, hmm..."

"Why're ya even thinkin', Numbuh 1?" Wally snapped, his sun-kissed skin turning slightly pink. "Ya can't let 'er go to that dumb party! Just say no, already!"

"Who knows what they'll do to her there," Hoagie piped in before shuddering as if imagining the worst. Kuki just looked between all of them, nodding her head in agreement.

"Hmm, you're all right but think about it, guys. At the party, there'll be a bunch of teens. They're always plotting something against us. Maybe we can find something out if we send her in there."

Wally furrowed his eyebrows, throwing his back into the couch rather aggressively as he crossed his arms. "She's lost 'er cruddy memories, how's she gonna know what to look out for?"

Nigel scratched his cheek, looking a bit lost. "Oh, well that's true." He then glanced down around at all of them, his eyes lingering on Wally for a little too long. The blond narrowed his eyes into slits, lips pulled up into a sneer.

"Oi, don't look at me like that! I ain't gonna wear a cruddy dress and go disguised as a girl like last time!"

"I didn't ask you to, did I, Numbuh 4?"

Wally's face flushed pink as he looked away, muttering incoherently under his breath. Nigel snickered a little before his eyes landed on Kuki's. "Well, since Wally isn't interested, I guess we'll send Numbuh 3 in with Numbuh 5," he joked. But then his face turned serious. "Don't worry, Numbuh 5. We'll be watching from the bushes. If you're in trouble, just yell into the earpieces we give you. You'll be fine. No teenager is smart enough to think that a girl with no memories will arrive with backup."

Everyone was wary of the plan as they shared another round of worried glances. Even Abby wasn't sure but she agreed for the sake of the team leader. Wally seemed to take it the worst as he was fidgety the entire time, his leg bouncing up and down repeatedly. Meanwhile, Kuki saw that as her moment to shine, grabbing Abby's hand and taking her to her colourful room to get dressed.

At first, she had insisted that she'd wear her regular clothes but Kuki wasn't having it and so Abby gave up. In fact, she didn't mind being pampered. It felt nice. Different. Kuki was like a younger sister she'd never had before and perhaps she had had that thought plenty of times before but to think of that now, she was sure it was because she was feeling closer to them.

"So, how do you like your new look, Numbuh 5?!" Kuki beamed at her after allowing the African-American girl to look in the mirror. To say she looked like a completely different person was an understatement. And not in a bad way, either.

She thought she was going to be dressed in a girly way, but she wasn't. It was simple and elegant. She had on a plain navy blue dress paired with black flats, her hair that resembled beach waves was taken out of its regular plait and framed her face perfectly. Speaking of which, her face didn't look like it was worked on too much either. Lip-balm and eyeliner were all that was put on but that was all that was needed.

Abby didn't think she'd love it but she did. She really really did and she didn't have anyone else but Kuki to thank. So, she did what she could without using words that would sound insincere considering her situation. She hugged the tall, Japanese girl tightly and it was instantly reciprocated. Abby could feel all the love and care through that one embrace and she couldn't help but smile, the tears threatening to leak past her eyelids.

Pulling away, she beamed at Kuki who forced out a wavering grin. "I think you're ready, Numbuh 5. Let's go show the others, come on!"

She pulled on her hand and dragged her out to show the others. Though, when they got there, the only people that were there was Hoagie and Nigel going through the plan for the night. Wally was nowhere to be seen and Abby couldn't help but let her eyes wander, looking for the aggressive but also gentle boy.

The others complimented her and she smiled at them. But she wasn't really paying attention to them. Not even when Nigel gave her the earpiece and got Kuki to help her insert them. She was too antsy as the time ticked by and Wally was nowhere to be found. The others didn't seem too concerned, as if it was normal. So, she tried to relax, too. But she couldn't.

The plan was set in motion and the reality of what was going to happen hit her. She was going to a party with a teenager she didn't even know and was potentially dangerous. He said he was a 'friend' but she didn't know if she could trust him. Even though Kuki would be with her and watching from inside, she didn't know what to expect.

Letting out a long breath, she found it easy to regain confidence, knowing the others would be keeping a careful eye on her. She could place all her trust in them because she had a feeling they wouldn't let her down.

Now, all Abby had to do was wait until seven.


	18. party

**A/N:** Sorry for the late update. I've been going through a lot and have lost motivation in writing most to all of my stories and fanfics. I'm trying, though, and though I am aware that this isn't the best, I hope this chapter is decent enough to pass. Thanks everyone for your patience.

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 **Chapter 18: Operation P.A.R.T.Y**

When it was time, Abby opened the door with a dolled up Kuki beside her. The latter beamed at the teenager opposite them who stared at her with narrowed eyes. He then looked at Abby.

"Uh, why's she dressed up? Is she coming with us?"

Abby shrugged, faking innocence. "Ya didn't say I couldn't bring a plus one, ya know."

Chad's laser blue eyes flashed. His jaw popped as he clenched it tightly. He managed to compose himself quickly and nodded, forcing a smile. "Right. Well, I guess that's alright." He then peered over her shoulder with narrowed eyes. "As long as your other dorky friends don't show up, too."

"They won't, boy."

His eyes then raked her whole figure up and down. Chad instantly let out a low whistle of appreciation. "Well, don't you look amazing tonight," he said with a teasing smirk. He spared a glance at Kuki. "You don't look too bad, either, girly."

Kuki grinned and looked down at her puffy pink dress. "Thank you! I made this dress myself," she said, head held high. Chad raised an eyebrow, nodding in disinterest.

"Cool, kid. You got real talent," he said flippantly before looking at Abby, eyes glinting with mischief. "So, you're not gonna compliment me in return?"

Abby resisted the genuine urge to smile and shrugged, trying to fake nonchalance. "You look good, I guess." She took one glance at his outfit; it was more casual than theirs, that was for sure. He was wearing black jeans and a white shirt, his hair gelled back into a quiff.

She had to admit: he cleaned up good. As they walked to the car, Chad opened the passenger door and stared straight at Abby, gesturing for her to get inside. She shot Kuki a look, who just shrugged and happily got into the back. With a sigh, she hesitantly got inside as Chad made his way over to the driver's seat.

"So," Abby cleared her throat, "where's the party at?"

"A friend's house. Don't worry. I'll show you ladies around."

"Ooh, that's so nice of you, Chad!" Kuki piped in from behind with a giggle. Chad glanced up at the rearview mirror, shooting her a tight-lipped smile.

"Thanks."

The rest of the ride there was silent and sort of awkward. Sure, Chad was making conversation and trying to include both of them in but Abby still felt wary around him. It was as if he was being fake around her. Even though she didn't know what exactly he was like, there was something off about him.

Maybe it was the way his face changed when he thought she wasn't looking or the glint in his eyes, what it was, she didn't quite know. But, something told her to believe her gut. Still, it wouldn't hurt to let loose for one night. Abby shook her head as the thought crossed her mind.

She just wanted to spend time with Kuki and possibly Chad, who might actually turn out to be a good guy. Abby didn't want to judge someone she didn't even remember. It felt rude. Especially since he offered her a ride.

As they got out, the house was practically vibrating with loud, blaring music and the place seemed to be swarming with teenagers. Abby didn't know if she was to be surprised or uncomfortable by it. Kuki clapped excitedly and skipped ahead, whereas Chad put a hand on the small of Abby's back, guiding her along with him.

His touch felt safe and so she unintentionally let herself relax under it as they walked inside. There were tons of teenagers doing their own thing; on one half, teens were playing a game, and on the other half, people were just talking and drinking punch. It looked normal, Abby observed, not that she knew what normal even was anymore.

Kuki gave Abby a look and shuffled off to one side and the latter turned to Chad who had just finished bumping fists with some other guy. "So, um-"

"Oh, right, I wanted to tell you something," he said, cutting her off, his eyes squinting as if he was trying to remember some key information. Abby forgot what she was going to say and stared at him, eager to know what it was.

"Ya did?"

"Yeah. It had something to do with our conversation, down at the lake."

Abby waited for a little while and his eyes seemed to flash with recognition. "Oh wait, right." He ran a hand through his hair. "I just wanted to ask you if you remembered it."

"Remembered what, boy?"

"Our conversation?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Cree?"

Abby stood there, confused. She didn't recognise that name or even have a face to add to it. "Wh—who's Cree, boy? I got no clue to what yer talking about."

Chad just stared as if he wasn't sure if she was playing a joke on him. "Wait—so you're telling me you don't remember Cree, either?"

"Abby's pretty sure this Cree person wasn't an exception when it came to the memory wiping," she said, sarcastically, trying not to roll her eyes. She just wanted him to spit it out.

He raised his eyebrows, a flash of sympathy crossing his eyes before it vanished almost instantly. "She's...she's your sister, Abby."

It felt like everything had stopped in that one instant. Sister? She didn't...she would have remembered _that_ , right? Nothing made sense. It felt as if standing took effort now, too.

"Are you sure you don't remember anything?" Chad pushed, leaning in a little, his eyes darting around. At that moment, though, Abby didn't care. So, she didn't respond. It wasn't until, Chad's large hands landed on her shoulder that she looked up. His eyes pierced into hers as he spoke once more. "Abby, do you remember anything?"

She shook her head, almost ashamed of her answer. In an instant, she was engulfed in a hug and that moment, she didn't care about his motives. She just needed someone to comfort her.

Wally watched from afar, hat pulled down on his head so far that even his face looked like it was hidden. He was scowling at the sight before him. Abby was with Chad, _hugging_ the traitor.

That should have been him, not Chad! If he had to dress up as a girl, he'd do it again for Abby. His heart pounded in his chest, but not in the way that made his heart flutter and made him nauseous. Luckily, Kuki nor the other teenagers had noticed him. They were too busy being snot-nosed brats and drinking and chatting to their lovers to care or even notice. Kuki, on the other hand, was being a look out from up the stairs, being as discreet as possible.

Even though she wasn't really being discreet, considering even Wally could spot her. Instead of waiting around, Wally went to storm right up to them but Chad's eyes landed on him, from behind Abby's shoulder. The short blond stilled as he watched the tall blond mutter something to her, who nodded and hesitantly wandered deeper into the house. Wally watched with a deep frown as she disappeared behind the endless hoard of stupid teenagers.

Chad smirked at him, walking towards him as if he had malicious intent. "I don't remember inviting kids to a party."

"Yeah, well you invited Numbuh 4 and Numbuh 3, didn't ya?" he sneered.

"They were special guests." He shrugged casually. "Besides, Abby confessed to me so I thought it'd be perfect."

If Wally could turn red with rage, he would have right then. His fists shook beside him as he glared menacingly up at the teenage boy that looked down at him as if he was stupid.

"She doesn't even remember ya, ya stupid teen dolt."

Chad chuckled. "Well, she remembers _me_. And she told me she felt something in her chest that was familiar. If you don't believe me then ask her."

He was seething by this point. "Ya don't have ta tell me twice, buddy," he spat. Wally went to march on over to wherever Abby was, when he was pulled back by the hood. Stumbling on his feet, he turned his head, only to look straight up into piercing blue eyes.

Chad forced a polite smile, one that unnerved Wally. "But before you do that, why don't you join me for a game of Truth or Dare?"

Wally was both mad and lost by this. "Wha-" He couldn't even finish his sentence because he was practically dragged to the front and harshly shoved down onto the floor.

"Yo guys, let's play Truth or Dare!" Chad yelled out into the massive crowd, raising his arms in the air.

"Heck yeah!" Some people instantly rushed over, sitting beside and around Wally, forming a circle.

"This is gonna be fun," a girl added, hooting. Wally tried to scramble up but was shoved down by the shoulders again. His butt roughly slammed against the wooden floors and a loud 'oof' left his lips.

"Oi, I don't wanna-"

"Alright, let's let the little brat—I mean, the obvious teenager here in the red baseball cap—go first, huh guys?" Chad asked everyone with an arrogant grin. Wally growled under his breath and cursed all the stupid teenagers for not figuring him out earlier and now with the obvious slip up.

"I'm actually not here to play-" he said again, trying to get up.

"Sure you are!" Chad cut in yet again, pressing down on his shoulders rather roughly. Wally ground his teeth in irritation, eyes wildly glancing around for help. There was no sight of Kuki or Abby anywhere.

 _C'mon, Abs, where are ya?_ he thought in distress. Just as he had given up, one of the girls asked him the deadly question.

"Truth or dare?" she asked with a smug smirk. Wally knew that if she wasn't a girl, then he would have knocked the teeth right out of her mouth.

"Truth," he spat through clenched teeth. Chad snickered from beside him and Wally could feel his hands turning into tight, white-knuckled fists.

"Who do you like?"

"I like ma friends."

She scoffed. "I mean, who do you like as _more_ than a friend, silly."

Wally could feel himself trembling. He didn't know how to respond to this question. How could he? When he went to open his mouth, not sure about how to answer, Chad made a clapping noise. Everyone's attention went to him, but his eyes were on two other people. Both Abby and Kuki were making their way over by pushing through the crowd of teenagers packed together.

Before he could even process what was happening, he had gotten up and raced over to the girls. Without even thinking, he grabbed Abby's hand and ran out the door with her behind him.

He could hear the hoots and the cheering from behind and he resisted the urge to punch them all in the face. His face was heating up but he ignored it. He didn't know what he was doing but he knew that he wanted to be as far away from the party as possible with Abby right behind him.

Wally did feel bad that he had left Kuki behind, but nothing else mattered. Wally knew where he wanted to take her. Somewhere private and isolated.

"Wai—oi, boy, where are ya takin' Abby?" He heard Abby ask, frantically from behind as they continued to run.

"Ta my house," he replied simply.

"To your house?!" she responded in shock. "What do ya mean? Are ya crazy?! This wasn't the plan!"

"The plan was to see if the party was a secret teenager conspiracy and I don't think it is. It's just those typical teens bein' stupid," he said, panting as those words left his mouth. "I just wanna tell ya somethin' important."

When he didn't hear a response from her, he nodded to himself in determination. Once they reached his house, he raced to the backyard where the lights were dim, the only sort of light coming from the moonlight that hit the bright blue water of the pool they had.

It was only then when Wally let go of her hand. They were both bent over, gasping in as much oxygen as they could. The truth was, he was jealous. Finally getting her away from Chad and the teens relieved him but he didn't know what to do but pry her away from everyone else's eyes. He wanted to tell her he liked her so that his erratic behaviour could be explained but at the same time, confessing when she didn't even remember him seemed to be a recipe for disaster.

He watched as Abby calmed down, his feet trembling in his shoes as he waited. Part of him wanted to scream out that this was just a joke and hide away like a hermit. He didn't know what to say to her about why he dragged her to his house.

"Oi," Abby's voice was tinged with annoyance. "What do ya think you're doin'? Why'd ya bring Abby all the way out here?!"

Dreading that very question, he gulped, feeling as if caught in a trap. He stuttered as he frantically looked around for something to use as an excuse when they met with the pool. Immediately, his thoughts went back to the time when they were together at the beach and a lightbulb went off in his head.

Abby trailed his gaze and stared at it, silently. "You wanted to show me the pool?"

"Do ya remember?" he asked, softly, trying not to tear up. From the corner of his eyes, he could see her fidgeting from one foot to another.

He had a feeling she didn't.

"I-"

He turned to her quickly. He didn't want to hear her say 'no' when every memory with her was important to him. It would be like getting sliced through the heart and that wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want to grieve the loss of Abby and how they used to be anymore. He wanted to start anew. Like how she never gave up on him with his swimming, he wanted to do the same for her.

As their eyes met, Wally could feel the panic settling in like cold gravel in his stomach. He hoped his body wasn't as outwardly trembling as he felt it was. His hands were clammy and cold but also sweating and he hated the feeling. Without even thinking, he stepped forward and placed a quick kiss on her plump lips.

Wally pulled away soon after, shocked at the fact that he had kissed her out of the blue. But that feeling soon disappeared and he was more dazed than anything when thinking of and revelling in the softness of her lips. He was more than sure that a dopey smile had framed his face at that moment as he stared at Abby's puzzled face. He swore he could see pink hearts floating around her face. Never had he been so excited about something like that—and he _hated_ pink!

"Huh, that's kinda strange," he muttered to himself, "I'm seein' pink hearts." He giggled like a little school girl.

"Wake up, boy."

"Huh?"

"Abby said wake up!"

This jolted him awake from his momentary daze. At her bewildered expression, the ecstatic feeling of floating in the air of love was destroyed. He gulped, embarrassment seeping in through his veins almost immediately and he wanted to get out from under her questioning, dark gaze.

"Wally," she said gently, the tone in her voice completely different to how it had been before. "This is-"

He didn't want to wait for her to finish her darned sentence. He knew what was coming and he didn't want to hear it.

"J-just forget it ever happened, alroight?!" he exclaimed, red-faced and hurt before turning and racing away from his house. Abby watched his retreating back before slowly leaving the area as well, neither of them realising that a third person was watching everything unfold from afar.


	19. awkward

**Chapter 19: Operation A.W.K.W.A.R.D**

 **A/N:** _Sorry if this is all over the place guys. I'm trying to be as consistent with my uploads as possible (ha)._

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After that day, things were awkward between the blond and the African-American girl. Every time Abby would try and ask Wally about the kiss, he would brush her off and talk about something else. Sometimes, he even avoided being in the same room as her and would immediately turn back around in the direction he came in when he would see her.

Each time that happened, Abby could feel a twinge of twisting pain deep within her chest. At first, she didn't understand. But then, things became apparent to her. The kiss...the feelings that erupted in her chest for that brief moment wasn't new. It was familiar.

And that scared her.

Did she have feelings for Wally? She didn't even remember him that much. It was as if she was holding feelings for a stranger. But she knew deep within that Wally was more than that to her. And she _wanted_ to remember him and the things they shared now more than ever.

It wasn't fair that this was happening. Wally didn't even look at her anymore and she didn't like that. Abby watched as Wally glanced at her figure on the couch before stiffly turning and walking to the kitchen. She was too focused on watching him like a hawk, wanting him to turn and look at her, just once, that she didn't even notice Kuki or Nigel gawking at her before looking off into the direction Wally had stalked off.

"Uh, are you two okay?" Kuki asked, gently.

Wally flicked his hair off of his eyes and scoffed as he got out his cereal. "Course we are! We're great! Why are ya askin'?" he replied almost instantly, his voice a little skittish. Kuki narrowed her eyes and tilted her head, looking like a confused puppy. Nigel, on the other hand, nodded to himself, as if he had just realised something. Abby found herself walking towards them slowly.

"Hey, Wall-"

"Oh, what an idiot!" Wally exclaimed, unnecessarily loudly as he slammed the cereal box onto the counter with extreme force. "I think I forgot somethin' in ma room." And all of a sudden, it was as if he was wearing a jet pack as he raced off in the other direction in turbo speed. Abby blew out a sigh, her mouth turned down into a deep frown as she watched him disappear. Nigel, however, were watching the two carefully with a slight hum. Abby didn't really notice him until then. It was strange to see Nigel out and about, mingling with the others when he was usually cooped up in his room, as he had been ever since her memory was wiped. He only ever came out when he needed to.

And this was another one of those 'when he needed to' moments clearly—he was able to provide advice, and also grab some breakfast in the process.

Nigel looked at her. "If you guys like each other, then isn't the simple solution to this talking? You know, communication is key to any sort of relationship," he said, crossing his arms. Abby startled at this, whipping her head around to face him.

"That ain't it, Numbuh 1. We don't like each other like that—you've got it all wrong," she quickly said, trying to clear up any confusion. _But...did she?_ Abby shook her head furiously. After pouring her Rainbow Monkey cereal into her bowl with intense concentration, Kuki watched Abby stammer and frustrated for the first time; she'd never seen Abby so flustered before. Out of the kindness of her heart, she jumped to help her.

"It's okay, Numbuh 5. You can talk to _me_ if you want. I can tell there's something going on," she said, her voice high-pitched and sugarcoated to hide the hurt in her voice. Kuki bit down on her lip, as if whatever was going to come out of Abby's mouth was going to physically hurt her.

Abby sighed. She wasn't so sure herself if there was something going on. Her chest hurt and her intestines felt as if it was being squeezed or ground into pulp by someone. Obviously she knew something was wrong and that it had to do with Wally.

She had a hunch about what it was and she wasn't sure how to react. _How could she fall for someone she barely knew?_ But, she pushed that doubt down. Abby knew that just because she couldn't remember any of them now, it didn't mean she didn't know them once. Deep down, everything was there. And for her to fall for someone, for _Wally_ , she had to have known him extremely well. Her emotions had to be true. She could trust her heart, and that was the only reason she gave in to what both her mind and heart were telling her instead of fighting it.

Though she didn't remember much, just being around him was a big clue that he was an important part of her life. And these past few days, with him avoiding her, there seemed to be a void in her that she couldn't help but try to fill with magazines and late-night coffee.

It didn't work and it was starting to hurt. Both physically and emotionally.

Abby glanced up to see Nigel and Kuki peering at her with squinted eyes. "Are you okay, Numbuh 5? You look a little sick."

 _Yeah, sick of Wally ignorin' me._ But she held that thought in and forced a smile. "Abby's fine, Numbuh 3. Just a headache."

"That sounds like a blatant lie to me," Hoagie replied with a snort, not even glancing at them from the TV. The other three all turned to look at Hoagie who munched on his waffles as he watched a show. Abby ground her teeth—she didn't have to have memories to know that Hoagie could be annoying sometimes.

"You don't know nothin' sparkle-butt," she muttered, annoyed. That nickname also felt familiar, coming out of her mouth as if she had said it before. She didn't know where she had heard it from but saying it felt natural. She hid her surprise with a clear of her throat.

"You're back to normal, I see," he said with a slight giggle as he switched the channels of the TV. Abby shoved down the urge to use her cap to shut him up. "You should really talk to Numbuh 4. It'll make things less awkward for the whole team."

His words had made the fists that she had unintentionally formed to relax. She didn't know this was affecting everyone.

"Numbuh 2," Nigel warned, clearing his throat.

"What?" Hoagie replied innocently, genuinely confused to why they were all giving him the stink eye. Abby shook her head to let Nigel know that it was okay. Hoagie had a point after all; there was no use in hiding from each other. It wasn't like they could do that for their entire life.

"Yer right, boy," she found herself mumbling. She didn't stand around to hear what they had to say in reply as she turned and headed to where Wally would most likely be.

As she headed to his room, she hesitated a little outside his door. She was nervous; she could feel her palms dampen as the seconds ticked by and her lips felt insanely dry. Abby contemplated turning on her heels to grab some water but she refrained.

She wasn't going to run away. She wanted to know what exactly Wally meant by the...kiss that they shared. It was still strange to acknowledge and wrap her around that very real fact. Abby straightened her shoulders. They would talk about it. They had to.

With a quick surge of confidence, she turned the knob and entered his room. As soon as she did, grunting and groans echoed throughout the large room and she looked up to see Wally punching the living daylights of his sandbag.

"Wally?" she muttered, accidentally. That was all it took, though, for him to notice her presence. He instantly stopped and whipped around in the speed of lightning. His eyes were noticeable from even where she stood; knifelike green eyes wide with panic that bore straight through hers.

"Didn't mean to scare ya."

"Well, good job 'cos ya just did," he muttered, acidity dripping from his tone. That took her aback; she hadn't thought he would react so negatively to her. But, she wasn't going to back down. She knew that it wasn't in her nature as she crossed her arms and stood her ground, barely affected.

"Didn't think you'd scare that easily," she tried joking.

Wally sighed, putting an end to his punching and awkwardly turning away. "Can't ya tell I don't wanna speak ta no one?" His voice was strained and scratchy and Abby resisted the urge to frown at this.

"Abby sure ain't about to leave ya when you're like this. Mind tellin' me what's going on?" she asked, trying to hide the waver in her voice as she inched closer to him in the ring. Wally had his back turned to her, refusing to even look at her.

"It ain't none of ya business, Numbuh 5," he ground out, bitterly. His words surprisingly stung her. Though, clearly not as surprising as she stood there motionless as if a part of her was expecting it.

"So, since it ain't any of my business, yer technically sayin' it wasn't Abby ya ki-"

" _Alright_ , alright, sheesh!" Wally yelled, whipping around to face her. He was so red-faced, one would mistake him for spending too much time under the sun. "Ya don't have ta say it out loud, for crud's sake," he muttered, irritated. That sentence managed to cut her; it was as if he regretted doing what he did. She wasn't entirely sure why she was as hurt as she felt but she tried not to show it as she took her cap off and smoothed down her hair, trying to seem normal. Wally, on the other hand, shoved his balled fists into the pouch of his orange hoodie and glared down at the ground as if he was going to burn a hole through it.

"Can we just talk about what happened?"

Wally's lips stretched into a thin, angry line. Abby could tell he was inches away from bursting like a bomb. She didn't want to push him but she couldn't handle the tension, and she knew that the team was also feeling its effects.

She didn't want to be the cause of all that.

"Wally," she said, firmly catching his attention briefly as he glanced up. He looked away soon after but she was glad he was at least paying attention. "Please. Abby just needs an explanation."

More than anything, at that moment, she knew she was just confused. She wanted to know what he was thinking and why he did it. When he had decided to take her away, she had just been reeling from the fact that she had a sister she didn't remember. She wanted to talk to Chad some more but Kuki had dragged her away before she could.

To add to that, Wally had done the unthinkable right after. So, what was she supposed to think? How was she supposed to even react?

Looking up from her white shoes, she tried not to startle at the intense gaze directed towards her from Wally. She didn't know Wally could ever hold such an expression—of course, she didn't remember, but something in her told her that this was the first time he had looked at her like this. Abby swallowed thickly as she waited, her hands balled into fists beside her.

Wally opened his mouth, his shoulders raised and stiff beside his head. "I-" Just as he began to speak, loud ringing and frantic waving red lights alerted the entire treehouse. It was the mission bell. Abby resisted the urge to scream out loud and watched as Wally relaxed a little, shooting a small smile at her.

"Sorry, Abs, but duty calls. See ya," he hastily muttered as he raced out his room, leaving behind a disappointed Abby.

Maybe it was best to just forget about it. Clearly, that was what Wally wanted to do and fate was giving her signs to put the past behind her. With a sigh, she exited the empty room and walked to the comfort of her own room.

* * *

"Guess what, Cree?"

"Ugh, whaddya want?"

"From that answer, I guess you don't want to know about what I've done with one of the Kids Next Dorks."

Cree stopped mapping out the next plan to take out the Kids Next Door and faced the person who stood in the shadows, so desperate to talk to her. "Fine," she spat. "What is it?"

"A certain someone's lost her memories," he said, snickering. "She has no idea what we're planning or who we are. She doesn't even remember you."

Cree's eyebrows raised in scepticism. "Is that so? She doesn't even remember me, huh," she muttered to herself, trying to stop the huge grin that rose on her face. "That does explain why she rarely comes home nowadays." She then looked up at her messenger. "And how do you know this?"

"It was my idea that those Delightful weirdos took and brought to life. I didn't think it would work but then she told me herself, the little dork," he spat, bitingly as if in pure revolt. "It's clear that she trusts me. I've managed to convince her we were friends before. We can do whatever we want with her! I've got her in the palm of my hands."

Cree cackled at this. "With or without her memories, she's a fool!" She looked the boy up and down with appraisal. "I shouldn't have underestimated your news so much. This is great."

"Told you," he replied with a smirk. "If we get her onto our side, she'll make a great asset and she won't even know."

She rubbed her hands together just at the thought, her heart beating insanely fast. "You did a good job, Chad. Let's meet up tomorrow for another chat. I need to go over some things with you."

The light from behind him flickered as he stepped out of the darkness, half his face obscured by a shadow and the other illuminated by the overhead light, his cobalt eyes flashing perilously as he sneered. "Well, of course. And, don't worry—I have great plans for all those dorks. _Especially_ for Numbuh 5."

* * *

A few hours later, a knock resounded through the treehouse. Abby opened the door to see Chad smiling at her, blue eyes soft as they looked into hers.

"You ready to go?"

She narrowed her eyes glancing over his shoulder quickly. The others had left on their mission and she assumed it was to fight with these guys. The fact that he had randomly shown up here, unannounced, was both suspicious and relieving. The latter because it seemed that he wasn't their enemy after all.

At least, not now, anyway.

"Ready to go where, boy? Whatcha talkin' about?" she asked.

"To the river. We had a lot of memories there. You don't remember so I wanna make sure you do. Let's go."

Without even waiting for an answer, he turned and left. She could very easily have shut the door and read her magazine and listen to music, or continue looking at photographs of the members together to get some idea of what life was like back before everything had gone awry.

But, she didn't want to engulf herself in a black hole that she wouldn't be able to get out of. Anything would do as a distraction and if it came in the form of Chad, maybe an old friend, she was desperate enough to take it. She followed him and began to walk in step beside him.

Before the silence could overtake them as they walked, she spoke up, a little hesitant. "What was Abby like?"

Chad's eyes slid to the side. "You mean—"

"Yeah."

He shoved his hands in his pockets, eyes looking straight ahead. "Well, I thought you were pretty cool and relaxed. It's why I talk to you and not your other uptight, dorky friends."

Abby's mouth tilted down into a frown at how he talked about the only people that seemed to comfort her during a hard time. A gut feeling in her tightly clenched stomach told her that he didn't really know her at all. But, she shrugged it off. He knew about something that she wanted to know badly.

"What about...Cree?"

His eyes lit up before it vanished quickly. He cleared his throat. "Cree's a great big sister. I've seen how much she cares for you. You matter more to her than anything."

"Then, why haven't Abby seen her, at all?"

Chad was stumped by this. His face tinged a little red but he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "You've been staying at the treehouse the entire time, right? That's your home more than your actual home and she wouldn't dare intrude. If you don't show up to see her, how's she gonna know?"

Abby bit down on her full bottom lip, unintentionally so hard that it drew blood. She didn't realise she had done that until her tongue met with a metallic taste. She tried not to cringe and sighed, instead.

"I've been too afraid to face everyone and what they'd think about...my condition, now."

"Don't worry about it. Your treehouse is like your home to you, so I'm sure your family understands."

As they came across a square wooden platform on the river bank, Abby's vision suddenly became fuzzy. Flashes of light zapped through her mind and suddenly, a slight throbbing in her head began. She put a hand to her head, face scrunching up. She tried to relax her features, though, when she noticed Chad looking at her, eyebrows furrowed.

"You alright?"

"Yeah," she nodded, plastering a smile. "Abby's just fine. It's—this looks familiar."

Suddenly, he grabbed her other hand gently and pulled her towards the edge. He sat down, pulling her down with him. Abby refrained from saying anything in response; her stomach stirred as if a part of her remembered being there. She couldn't wait to tell Wally that she was close to remembering something.

But, her heart tore just thinking about how Wally would react. He had brought her to a pool the other night and she didn't remember _that._ For some reason, however, she knew that a part of her knew. It had something to do with both of them and—

All of a sudden, a blurry image of blue and yellow like sand with faded laughter in the background flashed through her head. Abby squeezed her eyes shut; the brief flash almost looked like the beach.

She didn't understand what that meant but she knew that it had something to do with Wally. The more she thought of him and got closer to him, the more the previous Abby wanted to rise through the barrier that her empty mind had put up.

"Hello? Earth to Abby?" Chad waved a fair hand in front of her face quickly. Abby blinked and looked at the blue-eyed boy, smiling gently at her. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, Abby's fine, boy. Just a little sick."

"Of what? Of me?" he joked.

"No, no," she mumbled, the unenthusiastic tone in which she spoke making her wonder if she actually meant those words or not. "The water..." The sun shone down on the bubbling water, golden light reflecting off of it. "...it jus' looks a bit familiar to Abby."

"Ah, that's probably cause we came here that one time."

She still didn't remember no matter how many times it was mentioned, though bits and pieces were starting to come together. "Maybe." Abby remained tight-lipped. She didn't know if telling him would help would prove useful. She didn't know why it was happening now; at this rate, it would take forever until her thoughts came back.

"Well, don't you want to know more about your sister?" Chad asked as he leaned back on his hands that were placed behind him.

"About Cree?"

"Who else?" he asked with a chuckle. Abby smiled and nodded. She did want to know about her. She didn't know if she could face her sister and handle the crushed look on her face when she would tell her that she didn't remember anything. Not even her.

"Shoot, boy."

Chad rubbed his hands together, vigorously. "She's defeated the evilest people in this town, you know." His eyes flashed with admiration. Abby blinked; she hadn't been told that there were other heroes besides the Kids Next Door that beat super villains. And her own sister at that, too.

Now, she was interested.

"Cree's a supervillain fightin' hero, too?" she asked, eyes wide and jaw coming unhinged in disbelief. She closed her jaw and leaned forward, a wide smile now on her face. Chad chuckled as his eyes trailed over her features. His gaze flitted about and around them for a second before he leaned in towards her, too.

"You know," he began with a soft whisper, "I bet if you go meet her, she'll help you get your memories back."

"She...she can do that?" When he nodded his head. Abby was sceptical now. How would she able to do that? Did she have a cure? So, she voiced her thoughts. "How?"

He hesitated before his muscles relaxed, slightly. "You can say I'm a good...friend of hers. If you just go to her, I'm sure she'll help you." He then put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it briefly in assurance. "Trust me."

She didn't know if she could. Nigel and the others had warned her of him at the very start. But, he was starting to change her mind. He seemed fine, so far. Chad had never done anything villainous to her and he even knew her sister.

What more could she have wanted? And, if her sister could be the key to helping her get her memories back then she would be a fool to refuse. Regardless, she sat there, rolling her bottom lip in between her teeth as she thought.

"Ya sure this'll work? What if...what if she don't wanna help Abby?"

Chad rolled his eyes. "Oh, she will. You're sisters, remember? But, I mean, we don't have to go to her right now. We can go when you're ready," he said, softly with a gentle smile. "We're not going away anytime soon."

Abby smiled and let out a sigh, some weight lifting off of her shoulders as she revelled in the fact that she would get her memories back with the help of her sister. She looked forward to going back to the way she was. Finally, there was hope and light at the end of the tunnel and it was all thanks to Chad.

 _Don't get ahead of yerself just yet, Abby. Ya gotta actually meet ya sister and figure out if this is gonna work, first._ She nodded to herself but she couldn't help the fact that her heart was already swelling up rapidly in excitement. It was the first real solution that she had been given—even if it didn't work, it was an option. The others claimed they were finding a cure, but nothing had been done or said. So, she was relieved Chad was beside her at that moment.

"Ya know Chad, I'm glad I met ya."

His eyes sparkled with something indescribable as a half-grin tilted his mouth up. "Why, I am too." And then in a fit of frantic panic, added with wide eyes, "Met you I mean, not myself, of course."

This time, Abby rolled her eyes. "Boy, I understood what ya meant. If you wanna get any girls, ya gotta be cooler than that, ya know."

His smile seemed to falter a little at that line and she frowned, wanting to apologise and ask if she had said something wrong. However, before she could question him on it, the rambunctious smile was back on his face as if he hadn't looked icy cold just a second ago.

"And what are you doing with _him,_ Numbuh 5?"


	20. sneaky

**Chapter 20: Operation S.N.E.A.K.Y**

Both Abby and Chad whipped around to see the Kids Next Door, all the members, standing a few feet away from them on the pavement with their weapons ready. They looked murderous—Wally especially. Nigel cleared his throat, causing Abby's dark eyes to wander towards him.

"I asked you a question? Chad is our enemy. He is a teenager, Numbuh 5," he emphasised, crossing his arms and tapping one brown boot on the floor impatiently.

Abby stood up silently, causing Chad to do the same. She scratched at the back of her head, the braid getting in the way as she did so. "Uh, Abby wanted ta tell ya guys something."

They didn't move, weapons still whirring angrily. So, Abby cleared her throat.

"Chad's tryna help me and I honestly think he's alright. He hasn't done nothin' hurtfu—"

"What in the world are you saying, Numbuh 5?!" Wally jumped in, face red-hot. "Have ya finally gone psycho or somethin'? That's Chad we're talkin' bout; the traitor!" He tried to stalk towards them but Nigel held him back. Abby observed him with wide eyes; it was the first time Wally had willingly spoken to her after the awkward conversation in his room. She hadn't expected their proper conversation to go like this.

"Numbuh 4, let me deal with this," he advised firmly before turning to Abby and Chad again. The latter crossed his arms, head lulled to his chest slightly. Abby, on the other hand, clasped and unclasped her hands together as if looking for touch and reassurance. The both of them stood there as if they had been caught romancing the other by their parents.

Abby just wanted them to know that Chad wasn't as bad as they had thought. Sure, maybe he was an enemy to the Kids Next Door but even she could tell that once he became a teenager, it was his job was to work for the teens. That wasn't entirely his fault.

"Numbuh 5, as a Kid's Next Door agent, you cannot hang out with Chad," Nigel spoke, raising an eyebrow. "He will only betray us in the end. That's what teens do."

"Yeah, listen to Numbuh 1, Numbuh 5!" Hoagie piped up, meekly. "You can't trust him."

She glanced at Wally who seethed silently, his grip on the G.U.M.Z.O.O.K.A tightening ever so slightly. Abby could see his knuckles turning white and let out a sigh.

"He ain't a threat. I'm sure of it. Besides, Abby's not a Kid's Next Door agent. I haven't been able to help ya guys in any mission, have I? Chad's gonna help change that. He promised ta-"

"Which is none of your business," Chad cut in, glaring at the kids aiming their weapons menacingly at him.

"Why you-" Wally was stopped by Hoagie grabbing him, preventing him from lunging out at Chad. Abby stared at the tall blonde boy beside her, eyebrows furrowed.

"Boy, whaddya think yer doing?" she harshly whispered. "Abby'll take care of this."

"Nah, they're stuck in their ways," he sneered. "They'll never change." He shook his head before he casually walked ahead, hands in his pockets. "Tell your dorky friends to put their weapons away; I'm outta here."

But she didn't need to as they had overheard their conversation. As Chad said goodbye to Abby, he shot a lethal glare in the others direction before he stalked off. It was silent between them; three against one.

"So that's it, huh?" Wally spoke through forced restraint. "Yer just gonna hang with that idiot and not even care about us?"

Looking into his sharp green eyes made her insides flop. Her eyes glanced down at his lips involuntarily despite the situation, and she could feel her whole body heating up again just at the thought of what had occurred between them. Clearing her throat quickly, she forced herself to get back to reality. It wasn't the right time or place to think about that.

"It ain't like that, boy-"

"Well, that's what it cruddy looks like to me!" He growled, green orbs flashing with venom. "How could ya?"

"Chad's offered to help. He said he can help get ma memories back!" she said, voice rising an octave. The other kids now stood awkwardly, weapons lowered and weight shifting on each leg. Hoagie and Kuki shared a look.

"That's just a load of crud," Wally bit out through ground teeth. "Can't ya see he's just lyin' to ya?"

"It don't seem like he's lyin'." Now, Abby was getting defensive, hands clenched into fists. "Why can't ya just trust me?"

"Trust ya?" He scoffed bitterly in return. "You don't even remember him, so why should we trust what you say about him?! You should be trustin' _us!_ "

"Guys-" Nigel tried to butt in but got cut off by Abby's short, bitter laugh.

"It ain't Abby's fault that she can't remember nothing. In this short time Abby's seen Chad, he's been nothin' but kind, and that's the truth."

"Guys, stop, we can talk a-"

"Yeah, well whatever," Wally spat in return, eyes narrowing intensely into slits. "I don't wanna hear your cruddy excuses. You're just like the rest of 'em butt-kissing kids that I hate. Hang out with whoever ya want, I don't cruddy care."

"Numbuh 4-" Before Nigel could stop him, Wally stalked off in the direction Chad had walked in, too, mumbling harsh, incoherent things under his breath as he did so. Nigel face-palmed, running a hand down his face and bringing his sunglasses off his eyes in the process. "Well, this was an utter disaster. Don't you think so, team?" he asked, sarcastically.

"Numbuh 1, why do you have to be so rude?! Can't you see Wally and Numbuh 5 are upset?" Kuki scolded him, the usual bubbly smile vanishing and replaced by a deep frown. Nigel raised a stupefied eyebrow at her as Hoagie groaned, face-palming.

"Oh brother," he mumbled, shaking his head.

Abby didn't pay attention to any of them. She could only watch Wally's retreating back as he became smaller in size. It wasn't fair that they didn't believe her. Especially Wally. They were already on non-speaking terms and this seemed to have made it worse. Abby sighed. She didn't have memories so of course, they knew best, but Chad was helpful. How could she believe that he was their enemy when she didn't even remember him being remotely evil? Until she saw herself, she would have to keep believing that Chad was kind.

Abby bit down on her lip, hard. This time, the Kids Next Door had to be wrong. She would prove it to them.

* * *

The next day was seemingly quiet. Wally didn't talk to her as per usual, which she had expected. That very day, her teammates went out again for yet another mission that she couldn't partake in. This one was against Cuppa Joe followed by a secret mission that she didn't bother asking them about. It all sounded exciting, but she couldn't help but frown at the fact that she was practically useless as the others worked hard to kick butt.

Wally, on the way out, stubbornly refused to even look at her. He was too busy joking around with Hoagie who glanced at the brown-skinned girl once before awkwardly turning his head away.

"Uh, aren't you gonna say goodbye to Numbuh 5, Numbuh 4?" he whispered.

Wally spared a fleeting glance at her; it was so quick that she wasn't even sure if he had looked at her. He shoved his hands into his pockets. "Nah. We're not talkin' to her cos she's out hangin' out with that blond chump who's also a _traitor_ ," he spat, loud enough for her to hear. That wasn't the only reason he wasn't speaking to her-the other day it was because of the kiss. But that was because of embarrassment and confusion. This was much more straightforward.

Abby tried not to sigh and crossed her arms, her bangles clinking together with the motion. She wanted to apologise for everything, but his attitude was making it hard.

"You mean, _you're_ not talking to her, Numbuh 4," Nigel spoke calmly as he walked past, weapon already in hand. "We're just giving her time on her own to think her actions through. She understands the gravity of the situation." Wally stopped in his place and stared at the bald kid's back with his jaw unhinged. From where Abby sat, she could see the heat rising to his face, resembling a red tomato pretty quickly. She didn't know whether to chuckle at the dumbstruck look on his face or feel saddened that he was the only one ignoring her.

Though she understood their dilemma, it still wasn't fair that he wasn't willing to see things from her point of view. So far, Chad seemed like nothing but a trusting guy. Of course, she wasn't going to share everything with him, but he was the only one doing something about her memory loss and being proactive about what to do. The team were doing their best, too, she knew Nigel was, but with Chad helping from the side, things would speed up.

Abby had to trust him for things to go back to the way they were. She was done feeling useless and sitting around, doing nothing helpful for the team when they were going above and beyond.

Kuki smiled sympathetically at her and gave her a short hug. "Things will be okay soon, Numbuh 5." Once she let go, she ran off, which meant Wally was the last one to leave. Awkward silence engulfed them both. Abby didn't know who looked away first, but soon after, she was left alone with no one but herself and the television.

But, she knew she couldn't sit still. After turning the television off, she waited for a little while before getting up and leaving. She didn't want the others to catch her sneaking out to meet the person they didn't want her to ever talk with again.

Of course, she didn't really know where Chad lived. So, she went down to the small river that they spoke at before, hoping he would be there. The tight clench in her stomach told her that she would find him, but she wasn't sure if he was at the place she was hoping he would be.

Once the clearing came into view, she stood still when she spotted nothing but wood and water. _Maybe downtown, then?_

Even though she had no clue to where she was going and whether he was also there, she just wanted to get out of the suffocating treehouse. It made her feel worse about her empty self than she already did. Abby roamed the people-filled streets, going past various stores. She wanted to talk to Chad and devise a plan so that her teammates would see that he wasn't a threat.

Clearly, she had gotten too ahead of herself. She hadn't even asked him for Chad's number to keep in contact with him.

As if fate had a hand in things, she spotted a teenage boy that looked exactly like Chad, leaning against the wall of an arcade as if he was waiting for someone. She wasn't sure if calling out to him was the best idea, but before she could make a decision, the boy looked up. And to her luck, it was Chad. He looked surprised, eyes wide but soon he grinned and offered her a lazy wave. She didn't realise there was a huge smile framing her face until she noticed his cobalt eyes glinting as she walked closer.

"You look excited to see me," he joked.

Abby tried to relax her face. "Nah, just surprised I actually found ya here."

"You were looking for me?"

"Abby wanted to talk to ya."

He raised an eyebrow. "About what?"

She let out a slow breath, rubbing her arm up and down. There were so many things she wanted to talk to him about; she wanted the KND to trust him and to work together. She wanted to get her memories back so that she could remember everyone again, most especially Wally. Abby wanted her _life_ back and whether she or anyone else liked it or not, she needed Chad's help, too.

"Can we sit down somewhere or somethin'?"

"Uh, yeah, sure." He led her over to a bench next to them. The place was in a little corner and Abby was relieved that it was a private enough space to speak freely. There was silence between them for a little while and she bit her tongue, not sure how to start. Chad looked over at her, eyebrows pulled down. "You okay? Is this about what happened yesterday? 'Cos you don't need to worry. I'm over it."

"No, it's-" she sighed, adjusting her red cap. "From what I can gather, ya seem like a good person. I want the others to know that too, but they say you're evil." She warily glanced at him. "Are ya?"

Suddenly, his eyes flashed and he turned away. He cracked his knuckles, hand shaking slightly. "They're not wrong."

"Huh?" Abby wasn't sure she had heard him right. She wasn't prepared for this at all. "But, ya said ya could help me-"

"And I can. But I'm not the innocent person you think I am." When she didn't say anything, he continued. "When you become a teen, you do all sorts of things to become one of them because the kids don't accept you anymore. Your memories are wiped," he glanced at her knowingly, "and you're brainwashed with the mission to destroy all kids. In my experience, my memories weren't wiped, luckily, but I was forced to adapt to the ways of the teens. To leave my past behind as a kid and to move forward as a teen. It was hard but that was what I had to do. You become an 'evil' teen not because you want to, but because that's the only thing you come to have left."

Abby didn't know what to say. She just sat there as she listened to him, the wind gently caressing them both as if comforting them. The sympathy she had felt for him before hit her stronger then, after hearing him speak. His bright eyes were dim and absent of any joy that they usually held. She wasn't sure if she knew this information before...but judging from the reaction of her friends' she realised that this was a side of Chad they had never encountered.

Instead of saying anything, she waited. He glanced at her before letting out a chuckle, not reaching his eyes. "You look like you wanna cry."

 _Huh?_ She cleared her throat and straightened up, trying to relax her facial features so that she looked neutral. Showing her emotions without a barrier was too easy-she didn't have to worry about any evil people trying to manipulate her as the others had warned her. Chad was sharing his feelings with her, and something in her told her that this wasn't the first time.

"Abby had no idea you felt that way."

"Yeah, well," He shrugged, "not everyone does." When she didn't reply once again, he spoke up. "Everything's just complicated so...don't expect much from me."

It sounded like a warning but she didn't know what he meant by it. So, she shook her head away from that thought; she didn't want to dwell on something that didn't make too much sense. Chad got out his phone quickly after it dinged and typed in something rapidly before slapping his knees and getting up.

"You want to go inside?" He gestured towards the arcade with his head. "Bet I can beat you at air hockey."

One corner of Abby's lips quirked up, eyes squinting with amusement. "You're on, blondie."

* * *

Sometime later, the grin on Chad's face had faded and was replaced by a frown, eyes clouded with disappointment as he looked up at her.

"You know, I'm starting to regret challenging you."

Abby chuckled, scoring yet again. They had played other games too, and though Chad won twice, she had gotten lucky that day and been winning consistently. He would keep coming back to the air hockey table just so he could win at least once but it hadn't been going according to plan. And she took pride in that and her luck as she watched Chad become less confident each round.

"Sorry, boy, but that's what ya get for claiming you could beat Abby."

His eyes flashed as he regarded her from the opposite end of the hockey table. The dark arcade was filled with colourful flashing lights that settled on his face now and again. Half of his face was covered by a shadow, but it was when he placed his arms on either side of the table and leaned down to look at her properly that she could see his whole face.

"You're just like your sister," he observed after a second. Abby blinked. At the mention of her sister, she felt a sudden urge to find out more about her. Her sibling; someone she shared blood with.

"What is she like?"

Chad froze as if he hadn't realised he had said what he did out loud. He tore his eyes away and moved back as if he had been burnt. "She's just like you," he said flippantly, not looking at her.

Abby could feel a grin taking over. "Really?"

He cleared his throat, uncomfortably. "Yup. Anyway, wanna go another round? I know I'll beat you this time." Just when she went to agree, his phone dinged multiple times. Abby's eyebrows furrowed as she watched his whole posture slacken; his mouth was set in a thin line and he looked deadly serious, all play gone from his face, a shadow taking over. He typed something in as he spoke. "Actually, I have to go back home. I lost track of time and my parents are super mad." He looked up. "Catch you later?"

She nodded. "Mind if we chat about how we're going to get Abby's memories back with Cree next time?"

Chad didn't say anything for a few seconds before he nodded, smiling. "Sure," he said before jogging away. Abby took her time, taking in everything around her, the noises of people playing and laughing and the sound of cars going by. It had been fun while it lasted. She had finally had a chance to get away from being confined to the treehouse and doing nothing about her condition. Though time with Chad was short, it was enough to help her think about something else other than the fact that she was an amnesiac.

 _If only this could've been with Wally. He would've liked this,_ she couldn't help but think. She was so confused and lost about everything. There was an empty void in her that only her memories could fill. However, as she looked down at the air hockey table, she could feel a small smile grow on her face at the thought of a certain, stubborn male.

She could just imagine the grumpy expression on his face fading once his scarily vivid pea-green eyes met with all the games in the arcade. She wanted to talk to him about a lot of things that had transpired but with his attitude and time going by in a split second, she didn't know how to begin. With a sigh, she walked out and it was only then that she realised the time had gone by significantly. It wasn't dark but the sun looked dim and as if it was about to set. She needed to get back to the treehouse, and fast.

As she began her walk back, she couldn't wait for her next meeting with Chad to prove the others, especially Wally, all wrong once her memories returned. She would finally be able to connect with the others again and dwell deeper into the strange effect the hoodie-wearing boy had on her.

It would all be thanks to Chad and her sister, too. Her stomach fluttered with excitement, and her steps became quicker. As she walked into the more quieter part of town, near the treehouse, she walked by a pinkish-red schemed cafe with hearts covering the windows. She found herself suddenly stopping in front of it as she looked up. Though she didn't remember, her stomach clenched and she felt a bit queasy. Abby's mind filled with quick blurs of yellow and red. There was a face that popped up, but it was too fast for her to decipher. It just hurt her head and caused it to throb when she tried to go back to it.

However, one thing was for sure. Abby knew this place, somehow. _Maybe going in there will help Abby remember more?_ She was cutting it short with time as the others would be home any second, but she just hoped that Cuppa Joe and the secret mission they were on was holding them up.

That was the thought process as she walked in, the small bell above tinkling to alert new customers. Luckily for her, there were barely any customers, only a few here and there. Abby didn't know what exactly she was hoping to find as she walked in but she certainly hadn't expected to find someone she knew, sitting there. Upon moving to a seat near the door, her eyes quickly spotted someone she hadn't expected.

It was _Chad._


	21. exposed

**Chapter 21: Operation E.X.P.O.S.E.D**

 **A/N:** _Sorry for the super late update and the very short chapter! I know nothing much happens here but I didn't want to make it too long (and I honestly was so busy). The next chapter will hopefully be longer._

* * *

Her eyebrows furrowed. _Didn't Chad say he had to go home or somethin'?_ Alarm bells set off in her mind as she peered at him with squinted eyes. He sat in a booth with...an unfamiliar brown-skinned teenager with wild curly hair. She was wearing a short pink top and loose jeans, and since her back was turned to Abby, she couldn't decipher who exactly it was.

Looking around, Abby subtly moved closer to observe, making sure he didn't see her arrive. She wanted to confront him, but Chad's eyebrows were furrowed, and his lips were pulled down tight into a deep frown. Abby had never seen that look on his face before.

 _Nevah say nevah girl, you don't have much memories of him from before,_ she reminded herself. Her back was to them as she slinked down in her seat. She overheard their conversation, covering her face with a menu as subtly as she could.

"How's the plan going?" A slightly husky but feminine voice spoke up softly.

"It's going just as planned. I've got Abby wrapped around my finger. She believes anything I tell her and even took my side over the Kids Next Dorks; it was all too easy," The deeper voice belonging to Chad responded. A gasp got caught in her throat, and her chest constricted uneasily.

 _That little punk!_ She yelled in her mind, face contorting in anger. Her chest tightened as he had said all this with no guilt or regret in his tone. She was beginning to think he saw her as a friend considering he was revealing his personal feelings to her, but it had all been just an act. She was the only one having fun, whereas to him, it was just an elaborate plan.

That realisation was like a knife to the gut; piercing and ardent. It hurt to admit that Abby's team-mates had been right, and not even a day had passed before Chad showed his true colours. Not only did that mean he was never going to help, bringing up her hopes, but it also indicated that she had gone against her team members and friends for someone who never saw her as a potential friend.

 _Was he always like this?_

The feminine voice chuckled, the sound rich, coming from deep within her gut. "That doesn't sound like ma sister, at all." A pause. "I like it."

 _Sister?!_ She couldn't help but let her jaw drop, then. None of it made sense. That person couldn't be her sister. She just couldn't.

"And you'll like it even more when she willingly comes with me to meet you next time we meet up. I plan to do that very soon and then, we can take her down once and for all. Once we do that, the rest of those losers will follow like a bunch of puppies."

"And we, along with Father, can finally take over!" Cree said, voice filled with exuberance.

"All thanks to the Delightful Kids memory ray _and_ your stupid sister."

"I always knew she would betray them eventually. Just didn't know it would be this soon."

They continued talking in hushed voices, planning how to trap her and where to put her once she was caught, but Abby couldn't hear anymore. She wanted to so she could relay it to her team, but every part of her felt like it was being crushed. Abby had had enough. Her hands were clutching the menu tightly. Despite it being laminated, she was crushing it with the force of her grip.

She wanted so badly to walk up to them and slap them both, to give them a taste of their medicine but letting them know she knew that Chad was a fake seemed like a bad idea. Additionally, rather than slapping them, she wanted to slap herself for being so gullible. For trying to see the non-existent good in someone.

Her veins boiled with fiery rage but she managed to keep it under control as she subtly slinked away without being caught. The way back was unpleasant, to say the least. She felt like Godzilla, and she channelled all that anger into her steps as she stomped through the streets.

 _Can't believe Abby wasted a whole day with that loser,_ she snapped at herself. Although mad, her whole body shivered before her clenched fists relaxed. Her mind was blank as she roamed. Her throat felt dry and rough that even swallowing was a difficult task.

 _Who could she trust, really?_ Chad claimed he was a good guy, but he was anything but. Her team members seemed kind enough, and photos proved that they were friends, but she didn't remember them, so how true could it be? What if they were taking advantage of her lack of memories, too?

Abby didn't know what to think or how to feel anymore. Except for the fact that Wally had been right. Her mind buzzed uncomfortably, and her breathing was rapid.

Even though she had only seen Chad recently after her memory wipe, she was actually beginning to trust him. She felt stupid for believing him and his words over Wally's and the others. But, they were all lies. And her sister...she hadn't even met her, but as siblings, she thought she would at least not be _evil_. The numb feeling subsided, and rage once again consumed her being, her heart beating like a stallion.

She didn't understand what was going on. Why was Chad tricking her? Why was her sister evil and against the KND so much? The 'Delightful Kids' were the reason for her memory wiping, she could gather that much from what Chad had said. But none of it made sense. All she knew was that she had to stay away from the teenager before things got worse.

However, she couldn't help but think about what had just happened. _Were all his words a lie?_ Her head throbbed from overthinking about the situation, and her body was becoming stiffer as she neared the treehouse. She just hoped the others hadn't gotten back early.

If they had, then she had a lot of explaining to do.

* * *

No one had come yet. So, Abby did what she had been doing before she had snuck out. But she couldn't concentrate. Her mind was elsewhere, on a certain teenage blond boy and a girl that was supposed to be her sister. She didn't remember them, but that didn't mean the feeling of betrayal didn't still cut through her vulnerable heart.

When the others had come back, Abby didn't even realise. She sat there on the sofa as she had when they had left, staring idly into the distance. It was as if a void was further drilled into her heart and in her mind. She just felt so lost and confused. Who would she confide in about this without sounding like an utter fool?

"Whatcha watchin', Numbuh 5?" Hoagie plopped down next to her only to tilt his head at the blank TV in front of him. "Uh...you okay there?" he asked, uncertainly, turning to look at her. Abby didn't notice everyone's gaze on her until pale fingers began clicking in front of her face.

"Numbuh 5, are you alright? You look a little pale." Abby didn't know how to react. Numb, she glanced up at Nigel who observed her with tightly knotted eyebrows.

Automatically, her eyes drifted over his shoulders and to Wally who stood beside a worried Kuki, arms crossed. Since his hair was covering his eyes, she couldn't tell if he was watching her or not. She wished she was, though. If only he was talking to her, then that would have been one less problem to worry about. Maybe she could even confide him.

Abby rubbed her forehead, the bangles on her arm clinking lightly with the action. "Yes, Abby's fine. Just...a little tired is all. I'll be up in my room, ya'll."

* * *

Wally watched, eyes on her back as she disappeared further into the treehouse and to her room. He tore his gaze away and to the floor; his shoulders slumped forward, and he let his head hang, chin resting on his chest.

He had been acting like such a little jerk that he hadn't even considered Abby's feelings. Sure, he may have kissed her and he was embarrassed but at least she wanted to talk about it. And yeah, maybe she was close with Chad, but that didn't make her a traitor...she just didn't know what he was capable of because her memories were gone.

Wally couldn't really blame her for that—it was something that she couldn't control. If anything, as her friends, they should be the ones sticking by her. He sighed and plopped on the couch, next to Hoagie. They had talked and planned to watch the Monster Movie marathon that was going to play at night, but he was starting to think he wouldn't be able to focus because of a certain girl.

Especially since the kiss, happily received or not, he had to admit that his emotions were insanely heightened than they were before. Just seeing Abby was a trigger of what had happened and what they could be if only she felt the same.

Wally's lips parted to let yet another sigh escape them. Hoagie nudged him harshly in the forearm.

"Hey, you alright? Why so glum, chum?" He shot him a look and the masked boy smiled, sheepishly. "Sorry, can't help it."

Wally, after sighing at his friend's 'joke', shook his head. "I was just thinkin'."

"Our marathon is still on, right? Don't forget about all the awesome monster trucks we're gonna see, Numbuh 4!"

"There ain't no way I'm gonna forget about that." He scoffed, eagerly getting back into conversation though his mind was far far away from any monster trucks. Wally could feel a gaze on the side of his head and, unintentionally turning, his eyes met with Nigel's hidden ones.

The bald kid had his arms crossed as if he was disappointed in the short blond.

"What're ya lookin' at me like that for, Numbuh 1?" Wally asked, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice. This caught both Kuki and Hoagie's attention.

"You know exactly why, Numbuh 4."

Wally's shoulders slumped forward, and he resisted the urge to groan as he pushed himself off the couch. He knew what Nigel wanted; he wanted him to go apologise to Numbuh 5 for acting the way he had. If that was the reason she was so upset, Wally understood. He had wanted to say sorry so many times, as well, but facing her after everything...he just wasn't too confident.

He lingered in the entrance of the hall that led to their rooms, hands buried deep within his hoodie pocket.

"Do I have ta?" Wally asked as he turned to look over his shoulder at the others.

"Yes. You do."

"Alright, foine." Turning around, he reluctantly headed in the direction Abby had gone in, mumbling to himself. "Here goes nothin'."


End file.
